Home Compost

Composting involves many organisms and bacteria which are involved in the overall process. However there are four main ingredients needed for any home compost: carbon, water, nitrogen and air.

Nitrogen can be found in most green substances. This includes grass clippings and trimmings from the yard. Vegetable and fruit peels also provide nitrogen. Any other food scraps should be buried deep in the compost pile to avoid these same problems. You will know if you have too much nitrogen in your compost if it smells of ammonia. The carbon your home compost needs can be provided by dry leaves, hay, twigs, newspaper, straw, wood chips and sawdust. Having too much carbon materials in your compost will cause the breakdown of materials to happen at a much slower rate.

Water can make the difference between creating home compost in one month or in four to five. Having too little water slows the process while having too much can suffocate the microorganisms. To test your compost, squeeze a handful of material. If a few drops of water come out, then it is probably good. More water means you will have to add more carbon and nitrogen materials while too little means you will have to add water. The microorganisms at work in the compost pile need oxygen to live and work. Without air, beneficial organisms die and will slow the decomposition process. To avoid this, turn and fluff the compost weekly.

Most simple compost directions will call for approximately equal parts of nitrogen (found in green or wet substances) and carbon (found in brown, dry substances). The recipe is simple. Layer or mix the nitrogen and carbon materials, then add water and fluff to add the air. In time the microorganisms will break down the materials.