I sat down earlier in the week to write an article on composters and realized I 
literally knew nothing about them. Now I know that they store garbage and that somehow, over time, that garbage will become free fertilizer, but that was the extent of my knowledge on the subject. I figured since I didn’t know much about it, there are probably a lot of people out there who don’t realize the importance of the subject I’ve just recently gained extensive knowledge on – composting. The following basic questions and answers should get you started on composting and over time with some experience, become an expert on the subject.
What is composting?
Let’s start with basic description, which is pretty much what we all know so far. Compost is, by definition, “A mixture of decaying organic matter, as from leaves and manure, used to improve soil structure and provide nutrients.” Without any intervention nature uses composting to replenish itself when leaves and plants die, pile up on the ground, and begin to decay. The rotting leaves return to the soil and the roots reclaim those nutrients, completing the natural recycling process.
Composting yard and kitchen wastes is a critical step towards reducing waste and contributing to a healthy environment. Once the composting process has been completed you will have an earthy, dark, crumbly substance (similar in appearance to humus) that is excellent for enriching soil.
Why would you compost? What are the benefits of composting?
As people become more aware of the impact of landfills and excess waste on the environment, they are turning to composting. Through composting garbage and waste becomes a valuable reusable resource rather than another pile in a dump. At least 30% of the waste in our landfills is yard and kitchen waste. The basic principles are quite simple and sticking to them will result in diverting an average of 700 pounds of waste per household, per year from landfills.
Compost does several things to benefit the soil that synthetic fertilizers cannot do, while saving you money year after year. By adding organic matter to the soil rather than synthetic chemicals, you are creating a much safer environment. This organic matter also improves the way water interacts with the soil. Regardless of the type of soil you have there are extensive benefits to keeping composting the way nature intended - natural.
How do you begin composting?
You can put as much effort into composting as you want; essentially it is an almost effortless process that needs very minimal maintenance. The process 
can range from passive to highly managed. By choosing a highly managed method you’re really going to have to commit and learn the various combinations of wastes needed to create a perfect pile and how to maintain it. I prefer passive since I don’t plan on getting very scientific and spending hours a week on all of this. Very simply, gather your grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps and toss them into the bin whenever you have some until the bin is full. You’ll want to use a good mix of browns and greens in your compost to get the best nutritional balance. Browns tend to be bulky and promote aeration while greens tend to be high in moisture and balance out the dry nature of the browns.
Over time the waste will begin the natural recycling process and start to compress and decompose and eventually become compost. In a traditional compost pile you’ll want to wait a year or two to check the oldest stuff at the bottom for finished compost which is dark brown, crumbly, and earthy-smelling. Small pieces of leaves or other ingredients may be visible but if the compost contains a lot of materials that are not broken down, it is only partly decomposed. You can accelerate this process by using a bin instead, which can decrease this time to just a few weeks or months. Once the compost is ready, remove the bottom section and add it to your garden beds or plants and continue adding waste to the compost bin. It’s as easy as that!
There are a tremendous number of options for containing your compost and once you’ve chosen your method of composting, you will need to choose a bin system. I prefer commercially made compost bins over piles covered in hay or homemade contraptions simply because I don’t like the idea of wildlife enjoying my pile. This way my compost (and back yard) is safe from critters and I won’t get a surprise when I find some wild animal in my backyard enjoying my leftovers. Many commercial composters also come with complete composting directions to take any guesswork out of the process.
What can you compost? What can’t you compost?
A great variety of things can be composted at home, saving them from a one-way trip to the landfill, and turning them into a valuable soil commodity. Feel free to throw in grass or lawn clippings, hay, leaves, straw, wood chips, saw dust, weeds, and kitchen waste. You can’t use everything from the kitchen but fruit and vegetable peels and rinds, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, and similar food waste is great to compost. You don’t want to compost meat scraps, fatty food wastes, milk products, and bones. These are particularly attractive to pests and don’t always smell to great either. Avoid composting weeds that have begun to seed until they are thoroughly dead (brown) since they may resprout in your compost pile.
Steer clear of composing pet wastes, human wastes, diseased plants (to avoid spreading that disease later), and chemically treated wood products. Chemically treated wood products can contain harmful chemicals such as arsenic, chromium, and copper.
If you have any other questions, we’re always here to help you get started. As you can see, composting is a very simple process with huge benefits. In as little as five minutes a day you can begin creating fertilizer that will benefit your plants and your wallet for as long as you continue composting.
