Easy Composting

The following contains hints that will, I hope, make composting as easy as … well, easier than falling off a log, and more fun as well. I've divided them into five sections; click on any one to get to that section, or read through the whole page in order &mdash whatever you prefer:

The four key ingredients

The four key ingredients that create compost are: Additional notes:

What to compost and what NOT to compost

 Here is a list of items in alphabetical order; I've indicated in each case whether or not the item should be composted:

ItemCompost?Note/explanation
Ashesdependsyes, if from natural, untreated wood; no, if from artificial firelogs, charcoal, or coal
Bonesnocan attract rats and other pests
Cardboardyesas long as you first cut or shred it into small pieces; otherwise it will take YEARS to decompose
Cheeseprobably notlikely to attact rats and other pests
Coffee grounds and filtersyesworms love them
Compost activatoryesnot necessary, but it if someone buys you some, why not use it?
Corn cobs & leavesmaybejust make sure they are chopped up into small pieces; otherwise they will take YEARS to decompose
Diseased plants & leavesnothis could spread diseases among your own plants when you apply the compost to their soil
Disposable diapersno
Dryer lintyes
Egg boxesmaybenot the styrofoam ones, but the ones made from cardboard or compressed paper; make sure they are torn into small pieces; otherwise they will take too long to decompose
Eggshellsmaybeif they are crushed into very small pieces; however, eggshells can take YEARS to decompose
Fecesnohuman and pet feces should never be composted
Fish scrapsnocan attract rats and other pests
Flowersyes
Fruit scraps, cores, and peelsyes
Glossy paper & magazinesno
Grass clippingsyesmake sure your grass hasn't been treated with pesticides; they could harm the microorganisms that operate in your compost
Grease and oilnocan attract rats and other pests
Hairyes
Hayyes
Hedge clippingsmaybemake sure are chopped into small pieces; otherwise they will take YEARS to decompose
Kitty litterno
Lard or fatnocan attract rats and other pests
Leavesyes
Milkyeseven if has gone sour; good source of protein for earthworms
Manuremaybeif it's not too great a quantity, and if it's well mixed, your compost pile can benefit from the manure of horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and pigeons; however, it is rather smelly
Meatnocan attract rats and other pests
Newspaperdependsonly black and white newsprint (no glossy inserts, and no coloured ink), and only if it is well shredded or torn into small pieces; otherwise it will take too long to decompose; also, don't put in too much; a light layer now and then won't hurt, but make sure your compost pile isn't more than 10 - 15% newspaper; if you have too much newspaper to compost, recycle it.
Nutsprobably notdon't want to attract squirrrels, rats, or other pests
Paper bagsyesmake sure they are well shredded or torn into small pieces
Paper towelsyes
Pine cones & pine needlesyesthin layers only, as they take a long time to decompose
Pits from avocados or peachesprobably nottake too long to decompose
Sawdust or wood shavingsmaybeonly untreated wood; chemicals in treated wood are toxic; apply in a thin layer only, as it takes a long time to decompose
Seaweed, kelp, or algaeyesif you get your seaweed from a salt-water source, make sure you soak it well in fresh water to remove excess salt before adding to your compost pile
Sodmaybemake sure grass is dead, and break into very small clumps
Soft drinks or soda popyes
Strawyes
Teabagsyes
Twigsmaybemake sure are chopped into small pieces; otherwise they will take YEARS to decompose
Weedsmaybeonly if there is no chance they can start growing in the compost pile (for example, if they are young green weeds without roots, or if the weed plant is completely dead and brown); make sure there are no seeds attached, as these may sprout
Vegetable scrapsyes
Yogurtmaybeif it's well buried in the pile; otherwise it may attract rats and other pests

Diagram of typical plastic store-bought composter

Compost bins and containers

Bins you buy:

The simplest way to acquire a composter is to buy one at a local hardware or department store. They are available in many styles and prices, but they are typically made of a dark-coloured plastic, with a lid at the top for adding organic material, and a door near the bottom for removing finished compost. A typical design is shown in the diagram on the right:

However, store-bought bins can cost you. If you have the space and the skills, a home-made bin could be for you:

Bins you make:

Diagram of home-made wood and wire compost bin A home-made compost container can be as simple as a cylinder of heavy wire staked to the ground, or as complex as 3 wooden bins topped by wire mesh. The diagram at the left shows a two-bin system.

Wire mesh is essential because the organic material needs air to "operate". However, unless the wire is quite heavy, it may not be strong enough to hold in the mass of damp leaves, grass, twigs, etc. inside the container.

People often use a two-bin or three-bin system so that one can fork the material from one bin to another to increase aeration and ease of mixing. Alternately, you can use one bin for quick-composting material only (such as grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps and peels, tea bags, wood ashes), and a second bin which also contains material that takes longer to compost (such as twigs, sawdust, wood shavings, and autumn leaves).

Composting for apartment dwellers

Just because you live in an apartment doesn't mean you can't compost. If you have a balcony, you can put a small composter on the balcony. A small-sized plastic garbage bin with a tight-fitting lid will work. Choose one in a dark colour, as composters need sunshine and heat to operate properly, and dark colours attract heat.

Compost also needs air, so drill a few airholes in the top, sides, and bottom of your garbage bin. The holes in the bottom are for excess water to drain out.

If your garbage bin is small enough, you can mix the compost just by lifting up the bin and shaking it once every few days. Otherwise, open up the lid, and mix with a small garden fork or small spade.

How long does it take?

If you do it properly, you may be able to create usable compost in as little as three to six weeks. The key is to put only small-sized pieces into the composter. Remember to mix and turn the ingredients every few days, and add water if it seems too dry.

If the pieces are small enough, and if you don't put in items that take a long time to decompose, you should have usable compost in a very few weeks.

Additional links to information on composting

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Disclaimer: while these hints are the result of years of experience and/or lots of research, in the end they are just my personal opinion. If you try something I suggest and it doesn't work, please don't sue me &mdash I guarantee nothing. Best of luck!

Page created and maintained by A. Steinbergs

Last modified: September 22, 2008