There were so many great questions at the July 23rd Greener Grove Home Composting meeting, we wanted to follow up with a quick recap to aid in improving everyone's home composting experience.
Active and Passive Composting Processes
Composting can be as passive or as active an endeavor as you choose to make it.
An active composting process, also called hot composting, involves turning the compost on a regular basis. This will speed the decomposition process along as the pile heats up to somewhere around 120 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and bacteria breaks down the organic matter. You can begin using the compost in about 6 months. It will have the consistency of coffee grounds.
A passive composting process, also called cold composting, is simply adding materials like food and yard waste to your compost pile and leaving it alone to decompose. It's recommended that you dig in food scraps to a depth of about 12” to deter pests and flies. You can begin using the compost in about 12 months.
The key takeaways are that either way you compost, you are:
Creating a valuable garden soil amendment or mulch from materials otherwise seen as waste
Saving money
Diverting organic waste from the landfill, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Getting Started
The first step in composting is creating a space in which to compost.
The Bin/Pile
This can be as simple as a pile in the corner of your yard or a purchased container that rotates to mix the materials. Many folks choose to construct a bin out of wood and or wire to contain the organic material. These materials can be re-claimed, such as pallets or old fencing.
Many gardeners find that a bin that has an open front or a removable side is most effective. This provides an easy access point to load the organic material, to turn the pile as needed, and from which to remove the finished compost for use in your yard and garden. It is recommended that the space you create be three feet square (3’x3’x3’) or larger. This volume holds enough for effective decomposition to occur, creating and holding enough of the heat from the decomposition process to kill off possible weed seeds and other pathogens. Creating a larger bin or a multiple bin system is certainly possible if you need to hold greater volume. There are many images and plans available online.
The Place
Your compost pile/bin can be wherever you want, but consider access in & out, size of bin you need and working space available around it.
What To Add
Once a bin is constructed or purchased, and is set up in your yard, you are ready to begin. You can add most any organic material to your bin. All leaves, grass clippings, weeds pulled from your yard are all excellent materials to be added to the mix and in many gardens make up the majority of what is put in the bin. Other outdoor generated materials could include wood ash from a fire pit, straw bedding waste from pets/chickens, sawdust or wood shavings (if not from treated lumber) and evergreen needles. Materials generated indoors that can also be incorporated into the compost pile include; coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetable scraps, tea bags, and shredded paper (avoid glossy/shiny finished paper). DON’T INCLUDE any meat waste, grease, cat/dog manure, fats or oils. These are things that can attract unwanted visitors. In general, materials from plants are good and material from animals should be avoided.
Several questions were asked about woody materials such as sticks, branches, or stiff stalks of larger plants. All of these are definitely compostable material, but take much longer to break down and decompose. If you have a way to grind them up, before adding them to the pile, then certainly do. Otherwise, it was suggested to tie them up and place them at the curb for yard waste pick up where they will be ground up and composted. Materials that are stiff, but not woody, like large seed pods or taller weeds can be mowed up with most lawn mowers and then added to the compost pile.
Within the pile, natural organisms break down the materials you have added through the process known as decomposition. These organisms use the carbon and nitrogen found in the materials added to the pile. Most materials added to the compost pile are thought of in two categories, browns and greens. The browns provide the carbon and the greens the nitrogen. Ideally, a mix of three to four parts browns to one part greens is desired, but this definitely fluctuates for the seasons. Here are a few examples of these materials.
BROWNS | GREENS |
Fall leaves | Grass clippings |
Shredded paper and cardboard | Vegetable scraps |
Woody chips | Trimmings from annual plants |
Straw | Fruits peels and cores |
Saw dust | Coffee grinds and tea bags |
Dryer lint and cotton fabric | Egg shells |
The Process
You don’t have to be exact about this. Turning or mixing the organic materials keeps your decomposition going and the organisms happy as their carbon and nitrogen needs are available throughout the pile.
If you have chosen a bin that is elevated off the ground you may want to throw some more finished compost in to “seed” the decomposition organisms for the process. If your bin is just on the ground, there is no need to add anything further as the soil under the pile will provide opportunity for organisms to enter from below.
With the organic material now in the pile, your want or ability to speed the process will be driven by how much you turn the materials. A key element resulting from turning is the reintroduction of air (oxygen) to the process. Decomposition requires both oxygen and water to progress effectively. There were several questions about adding water to the pile, but under most conditions, natural rainfall will provide what is necessary to keep the pile moist. You don’t want the material to stay saturated.
You will notice the pile will drop or go down over time if you aren’t adding to it much. This is a good sign that the decomposition process is occurring. While the material on the outer edge may not look that different, a couple of inches into the pile should reveal some nice “earthy” humus. You shouldn’t recognize much in this finished material as decomposition has turned your yard and kitchen waste into a natural gift for your plants and soils.
There were several questions on vermiculture (worm bin composting); those we will save for another post.
If you have any further questions on home yard composting, please ask us here at Greener Grove. Alternatively, the DuPage County Master Gardener Help Desk can be reached at 630-955-1123.
