How to Start a Compost Pile
How to Start a Compost Pile
When starting a compost pile you can simply designate an area for a pile, build your own container, or purchase one.
Where to Put Your Pile
Picking a spot for your compost is the first step in starting a pile. Food waste will break down faster in a sunnier spot, but will require more regular waterings. If you’re worried about smell or appearance, consider purchasing a container. However, if you’re composting correctly, your compost shouldn’t smell. If you choose to simply start a pile but are worried about animals, use fencing to block the area off.
If you chose to build your own compost bin, be aware of the variety of options and research to find which is best for you. From using plastic bins with holes in the bottom to creating tumbler bins, each method has their benefits and downfalls. Simply doing a quick google search can help you figure out which is best for you and provide you with the directions needed to build it.
What You Need For Your Compost
Once you have a picked your spot, begin collecting materials to compost. For a healthy compost, you will need “greens” and “browns.” Greens provide your compost with nitrogen and are things like fruits, veggies, eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea. Browns provide your compost with carbon, and are things like twigs, leaves, and yard clippings. You will also need water and oxygen.
Here is a list of things that are okay to compost according to the EPA:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Eggshells
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Tea bags
- Nut shells
- Shredded newspaper
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Yard trimmings
- Grass clippings
- Houseplants
- Hay and straw
- Leaves
- Sawdust
- Wood chips
- Cotton and Wool Rags
- Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
- Hair and fur
- Fireplace ashes
Put browns and greens down in equal layers in your compost.
What You Shouldn’t Put In your Compost
Never put meat, bones, dairy, fats, oils, or pet waste in your compost pile. They will smell and attract pests. If a plant is disease or insect afflicted, don’t put it in your compost pile as it could contaminate the compost and render it unusable. Never put glass, plastic, aluminum, rubber, or sponges in your compost.
How to Maintain Your Pile
Food is organic matter, which means it requires bacteria, fungi, water, and oxygen to decompose. Water allows the organic matter to break down, so your compost pile should always be damp. As mentioned above, you should water your pile more frequently if it’s in the sun. In order to provide your pile with sufficient oxygen, you will need to occasionally till your compost, or use a shovel to disrupt and stir it around. Do this every week or two for best results. Without oxygen, the food in your pile will rot and begin to smell. If you are caring for your compost pile correctly, it should not smell.
If you aren’t noticing any compost formation after a few weeks, add more green material and make sure your pile is damp enough. If it stinks or is too wet, add some browns and till the compost more frequently. If you notice any larger materials, such as branches, try breaking them apart to increase the surface area and keep air flowing.
What to Do With Your Compost
Your compost is ready to be used when it smells and looks like soil. You can mix it into garden beds, or sprinkle it on top of dirt to give your plants some extra nutrients. Compost alone shouldn’t be used as a replacement for soil. It should instead act as a natural fertilizer to nurture plants. Add it to dirt a few times a year for the best results.
