Composting for Beginners: A Simple How-To Guide
Turn your food scraps into "black gold" for your garden. Our simple guide breaks down everything you need to know to start composting today.
Composting is a natural process that turns organic waste—like food scraps and yard trimmings—into a rich, soil-like material called compost. It’s one of the most powerful things you can do to reduce landfill waste and improve your garden’s health. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Choose Your Composter
You can use a simple pile in your backyard, a tumbler, or a bin. For apartment dwellers, a worm bin (vermicomposter) is an excellent, compact option. The key is to choose a system that fits your space and lifestyle.
Step 2: Know Your Greens and Browns
A healthy compost pile needs a balance of "green" and "brown" materials. Aim for a ratio of roughly one part greens to three parts browns.
- Greens (Nitrogen-rich): Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, and plant trimmings.
- Browns (Carbon-rich): Dried leaves, twigs, cardboard, paper, and wood chips.
Step 3: What Not to Compost
To avoid pests and bad smells, keep these items out of your home compost pile:
- Meat, fish, and bones
- Dairy products and greasy foods
- Diseased plants
- Pet waste
Step 4: Maintain Your Pile
Your compost needs air and water to thrive. Turn your pile with a pitchfork every week or two to aerate it. Keep it as moist as a wrung-out sponge. If it’s too dry, add a little water. If it’s too wet, add more brown materials.
Step 5: Harvest Your Compost
In a few months to a year, the bottom of your pile will transform into dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling compost. Sift it to remove any large, unfinished pieces and spread it on your garden beds or use it in potting soil for your houseplants. Your plants will thank you!