How to Make Compost in 4 Easy Steps

How to Make Compost

1. Add Green Material

   Green material is high in nitrogen. It includes kitchen scraps such as coffee grounds, peelings, fruit cores, uneaten leftovers, and eggshells. Any kitchen waste that is not greasy, dairy, or meat can be composted.

   Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds are also considered green materials, as is manure from barnyard animals (herbivores such as cattle or horses, but not cats or dogs).
   

2. Add Brown Material

   Brown material is high in carbon. Paper, cornstalks, sawdust, small branches, twigs, and straw all fall into this category.

   The ratio of nitrogen to carbon should ideally be 50/50 in your compost pile so for every bit of brown material you add, be sure to balance it with green material.
   

   Tip

   If you add paper, such as newspaper, to your compost pile, shred it first so that oxygen can get at a significant amount of the surface. If you don't take this step, you risk it turning moldy and ruining your compost.

3. Add Water

   Water is the final key ingredient in a thriving compost pile. Without moisture, your pile will take months to do anything and, if dry enough, will not break down at all. If your pile is too wet, on the other hand, it will smell and become slimy as the ratio of harmful bacteria outweighs the good.

   You want the pile to remain damp but not dripping wet. If you do not get enough rainfall to suffice, dump a bucket of water over it once a week to keep things moving.

   You will know that your compost pile is right if it becomes hot in the middle. Maintaining heat is important to sterilize the compost and kill the weed seeds or harmful bacteria that may be there. The heat is your proof that the ratio is working for your compost pile.
   

4. Turn the Pile Regularly

   Whether using a compost bin or a simple pile, you will need to turn your materials with a shovel or pitchfork. Simply move the outer portion of the pile toward the center, turning each scoop over as you go. Continue shuffling the materials until you have exposed the decomposing materials within the pile.

   A compost pile needs to be turned every two to four weeks. If you have a bin with a crank, give it a few turns every week.

   If your pile heats up, is adequately moist, and gets turned regularly, you should have usable compost in one to two months.
   

5. Harvest the Compost

   When most of the contents have broken down (this will happen to the bottom layer first), the compost is mature and ready to harvest. Tilt or wiggle the bin to loosen the compost and shovel out the compost that's ready, formed, and broken down fully. Turn the remaining compost and allow it to continue to break down.

6. Use the Harvested Compost

   Harvested compost can be used in many ways. In addition to working it into garden beds, you can also use it as mulch or add it to potting soil. If using it in garden beds, you can sprinkle it on top of the soil or rake it into the soil.

How to Use Your Compost

Now that you have compost, you need to know what to do with it.

• Fertilizer: Feed your perennials, bulbs, fruit trees, container plants, or lawn. Top dress or sprinkle some on top of your new or established plantings.
• Mulch: Apply a 3- to 6-inch layer of compost to the soil surface instead of using mulch, it will prevent water evaporation from the soil, keeping it moist longer, and it will also discourage weed growth.
• Potting soil: To make an enriched potting soil, use equal parts compost, vermiculite, and topsoil, mix thoroughly.
• Compost tea: Brew compost tea. By making a liquid emulsion, you get a concentrated fertilizer that quickly reaches your plant's roots.

What Not to Put in Compost

Some materials will create a smelly pile, attracting rats and other vermin, so they should not be used for composting.

Items that should not be used for compost include:

• Meat and fish
• Dairy, fats, oils
• Woods treated with preservatives
• Diseased, pest-infested plants, or invasive weeds
• Charcoal ash
• Dog and cat waste

Any items treated with pesticides or acidic things like charcoal ash can kill the bacteria in your pile. Dog and cat poop may have harmful bacteria or parasites that turn your fertilizer into hazardous waste.

Avoid putting leaves or other plant parts that show signs of disease or fungal spots. These pathogens may survive the heat of the composting process and be transported back into the garden when you eventually use the compost. Unhealthy plant material should be bagged up and taken away.

Treating Common Compost Issues

Look out for these common issues with composting:

• Odors: Compost should generally smell like dirt. While some smell is normal, if you notice any type of foul odor coming from your compost, it may not be heating up enough to break down the ingredients.
• Pests: It's normal to have some bugs in your compost, like ants and worms, but if there appears to be a large amount of bugs, you may not be turning your compost frequently enough. Animals like raccoons and rodents can also be an issue. You can deter them by turning the compost frequently and avoiding putting meat products or leftovers in your compost.
• Slow decomposition: If your compost is decomposing slowly, it could be due to several factors. The interior temperature may be too high or too low, there may be too much or too little moisture, or it may need to be turned more frequently.

Additional Compost Care Tips

• A compost pile can be started any time of the year, although, in winter, decomposition will slow down.
• If your compost heap starts to smell, it probably contains too much water; allow it to dry out by turning and not adding additional water for a few days.
  
• Other odor-causing issues include adding too many greens and not enough browns or having meats or oils in your heap.