Compost — or humus — is decomposed or well-rotted organic material, such as vegetable waste, leaves, grass clippings, and livestock manure. This crumbly, soil-like material improves soil texture by increasing the drainage of heavy clay soils and the water and nutrient retention of light, sandy soils.

To get started, choose a spot. Find a place for your compost that's convenient to your kitchen or garden and has well-drained soil.

Install a compost container. Although not required, a wire, wood, or plastic container keeps your compost pile looking neat and prevents animals from scattering food scraps. Choose a 3- to 4-foot-wide container that comes apart easily and allows plenty of airflow through to its contents.

Gather your materials. Look around your yard. Any fallen leaves? Get the rake! Gather together leaves, grass clippings, weeds you've pulled**, hedge trimmings, etc. Start saving kitchen scraps (no meat).

** One of our readers emailed us about adding weeds to the compost:

In your composting article, you say to include weeds you've pulled. I would not recommend this as it could lead to further infestation of your garden or lawn if the correct temperatures aren't reached in the compost. My parents pile up the weeds and diseased plants in a separate area, then burn them. Ashes from these fires as well as wood fires is great for tilling into the garden. Jessica

Great advise Jessica! Thanks for the tip.

Tools and Materials

Compost container

Brown plant materials, such as leaves and straw

Green plant materials, such as grass clippings and kitchen waste

High-nitrogen fertilizers, such as blood meal and cottonseed meal

Hose and Water

Garden fork or shovel

Step 1

Add a Brown Layer. Lay a 4-to 6-inch-thick layer of brown material on the bottom. Carbon-rich dried grass, peat moss, straw, shredded leaves, and other brown plant material make a good base for the pile.

Step 2

Moisten Layer. Moisten the bottom layer so that it's moist but not soggy. The moisture will help accelerate the decomposition process by providing the right environment for microbes to break down the material.

Step 3

Add a Green Layer. Make a second, 2-to 4-inch-thick layer of nitrogen-rich green materials, such as fresh grass clippings or vegetable kitchen scraps. Alternate adding layers of brown and green material until the pile is 3- to 5-feet high (or container is full). Moisten each layer before adding the next.

Step 4

Cover the Bin. Once all the layers are in and moistened, cover the bin to prevent animals from getting inside or wind from blowing loose material away. During rainy periods, you can cover the top of the bin with a rain-proof tarp to prevent the pile from getting too wet.

As the material begins to decompose, the pile heats up, but not evenly. To ensure that all materials break down, mix the pile and keep it moist. After the center heats up and then cools down (one to several weeks, depending on the time of year and size and composition of the material), turn the pile. Use a garden fork or shovel to mix the contents, blending the inside and outside materials. Repeat turning the pile once or twice. The compost is ready to use when it's dark and crumbly — usually in a month or two.

Composting Basics:

High Carbon "Browns	High Nitrogen "Greens"	Sources of Composting Organisms
Leaves	Grass	Old Compost
Dead Plants	Green Weeds	Soil
Straw	Manure	Cow Manure
Shredded Paper	Alfalfa or Clover	Chicken Manure
Shredded Twigs	Seaweed or Pond Algae	Horse Manure
Pine Needles	Non-Meat and Non-Dairy Kitchen Scraps	Commercially Available Composting "Starters"
Sawdust from Untreated Wood		Old Compost

If you are interested in learning more about composting and building a composter we recommend these books to get you started.

(Click the pictures for more information)

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