Making your own compost is an essential part of gardening. Making good compost is a little tricky and it takes a lot of practice to get it just right. Fortunately, any pile of plant waste and organic material will eventually break down into something you can use so the best way to learn is by trying it. Following a few simple guidelines will put you ahead of the curve but remember to have patience.
#1: Build in layers. Your best success with composting will come from layering different materials.
Usually, the first material you should have is some kind of dry cover material. Buying a few bales of hay or straw in the late spring is a good way to do this, when last year’s stuff is cheap. It’s even better (and sometimes free) if it’s already spoiled and/or moldy. You can even stack extra bales to make simple compost bin. Sawdust or wood shavings are good too if you can find them locally at minimal cost.
The next material is one you can produce at home. Keep a small pail or bucket for kitchen scraps and use it to save fruit and vegetable peels, rinds, spent coffee grounds, tea bags, and any plant waste that you would otherwise throw away. This will keep it out of the landfill and put it to good use. You can also add eggshells even though they are not plant-based.
Whenever the compost bucket in the kitchen is full (or starts to get a little gross), add that to the pile as the first layer, then add a layer of hay or straw before covering everything in a layer garden soil or finished compost. This ensures that the really gross stuff is always buried under other layers and the pile gets a substantial amount of each material. You can also use plant waste from your garden in your first layer.
#2: Build in an enclosed compost bin. This will keep more moisture in the pile and allow for a more complete breakdown of materials. This it is not strictly necessary, but it makes the pile a lot tidier and easier to deal with. It also helps keep animals out of the pile.
A simple bin can be made out of bales of hay, old shipping pallets, untreated lumber, or pretty much any solid material. Just be careful not to use treated lumber or any chemically treated material that may release chemicals into your compost.
Organic bin materials (especially hay bales) will start to break down eventually and you will need to be rebuild the bin. When the compost is finished, just break them apart and start adding them to the next pile.
#3: Water the pile. Just like the garden, the compost pile is a living thing and it needs to stay moist in order to stay alive. Whenever you add a new layer, wet it down with your garden hose or watering can. This is usually enough water to keep the pile healthy.
You want the pile to stay moist, but you don’t want to make it soggy. Check it occasionally and use your judgement in preventing it from drying out completely. It may need an occasional light watering if the weather is hot and dry. Building the pile in a shady spot also helps to prevent drying.
#4: Adding meat, fats, oils, or human waste. Traditional composting wisdom tells us not to add these materials. However, the humanure handbook (listed below) tells us that these organic materials will break down just fine in your pile. It turns out, this is true BUT these materials may cause the pile to smell (cover thoroughly with hay and soil layers) and may attract animals (dogs, coyotes, raccoons). If you opt to add any of these materials, DO build your compost in a bin that closes on all sides and DO NOT turn the pile or handle any of it’s contents until it has been allowed a full year of “retention time” to finish breaking down. Handling these materials (especially human waste) can be extremely hazardous to your health.
Composting Resources
Solomon, S. (1993) Organic Gardener’s Composting. Portland, OR: Van Patten
Jenkins, J. (2005) The Humanure Handbook, 3rd edition. Grove City, PA