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Entry bubble Backyard Composting 101

By: Sommer | December 28, 2007 | Category: Home and Family

When I was talking to some neighbors the other night, one of them mentioned that she composts and a light went off in my head. It sounded like a perfect solution for all our yard waste, banana peels, potato skins, apple cores and more. Composting will also give us the perfect fertilizer to put on our lawn, flowerbeds and garden in addition to reducing waste we put into the local landfill.

Composting is basically a way to turn yard and kitchen waste into a nutrient rich, organic material you can use to improve your soil.

How to get started:

  1. Choose a location for a compost pile or bin.  If you choose to build or buy a bin be sure to install it 2 feet from any structure.
  2. Start adding “brown and green” materials by beginning with 4 – 6 inches of brown materials like chopped up twigs or other coarse waste.  Then, add a green layer of scraps, lawn clippings, and leaves.  Alternate layers every 4 – 6 inches.  Remember that smaller pieces of material break down faster.
  3. Now, its time for the bacteria and fungi to get to work.  Wait a week, and then turn your compost pile with a pitch fork or shovel.  As it breaks down the compost should have an earthy smell.  If your compost pile gets stinky something is probably off balance.  
  4. Use your compost to fertilize flower beds, sprinkle it on your lawn or use compost “tea” to water house plants.

Materials you CAN compost (examples):

  • Coffee grounds and filters
  • Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
  • Eggshells
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Grass clippings and leaves
  • Shredded newspaper
  • Tea bags
  • Yard trimmings
Materials you CAN’T compost (examples):
  • Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
  • Fats, grease, lard, or oils
  • Meat or fish bones and scraps
  • Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)
  • Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides
Check the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website for a list of local composting resources.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [12] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: compost   food   home   organic   sommer   yard  

Comments (12):

blue comment bubble Posted by not-so-green thumbs on December 28, 2007 at 08:41 AM EST

wow, i've been composting for forever but never heard of compost tea, great idea, thanks for sharing it. It's funny how few people compost when it is so east to do, so beneficial, and what's cheaper or a better way of recycling than turning your "Trash" into Earth.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Michelle C. on December 28, 2007 at 01:16 PM EST

Excellent!
If everyone composted, think of all the space we'd save in the landfills! If we didn't need to build additional landfills, that would mean fewer diversions for our tax dollars.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Citizen Jmaximus on December 29, 2007 at 09:26 AM EST

I believe you can compost most of things on the don't list. The EPA gives reasons like odor or may attrack rodents. If you use an enclosed composting barrel or container, this is not really an issue. Also it depends what you plan to use the compost for. If your using it for a veggy garden, you may have a different concern than using it around mature shrubs...

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blue comment bubble Posted by Christina M on December 29, 2007 at 01:42 PM EST

I'd skip the banana peels; they are treated with chemical pesticides. Also, avoid putting salty waste in the compost, as salt can do long term damage to the soil.

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blue comment bubble Posted by frank on May 08, 2008 at 03:42 PM EDT



and dont forget old cow dung!
almost more potent than anything .. and the farmers usually wont care if you make off with a few dry frisbees. lol
unless you have a cow ..if so then the directions would only be = 'feed, water ....wait.....wait... and then shovel' :)
(dont stare at the cow or follow it around ..or you make prolong the wait)




frank
<a href="http://www.ezprintsolutions.com">Full Color Printing </a>

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blue comment bubble Posted by Linda on September 22, 2008 at 11:11 PM EDT

I have had a compost pile for over a year, it is a bit of work when you have to turn it, but well worth it. I only toss in vegetable matter, fruit and veggie scraps, I don't worry about banana peels, might be an issue if there were a whole lot of them, but for the most part, they are safe. I also toss in egg shells, coffee grinds, grass clippings, leaves and such. Makes the greatest dirt in the universe. I highly recommend it, my heap is really a heap in the truest sense, my pup likes the warmth created by the composting matter, and he wants to sleep on top of it, so that is a bit of a problem because it necessitates that I bath him more often than is probably good for his skin. Other than that, compost is a miracle, try it, you will love it. Well, I do, I grew up on a farm, you could go either way I suppose, Good Luck.

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blue comment bubble Posted by dog boarding kennels on July 17, 2009 at 10:12 AM EDT

Do you have any advice about recycling dog and animal faeces that I could link to on my blog?

Thanks,

http://www.swapadog.com

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blue comment bubble Posted by Editor on July 17, 2009 at 10:40 AM EDT

Dear Dog Boarding Kennels,

I found this link that might be useful for your blog. It's an article about San Franscisco's program to pick up dog feces from doggie daycare facilities, and use it for compost material. The article ends with several links to other articles on this topic.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/inforesources/news/2006news/06-dog.htm

Good luck with your blog post!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Alexander on August 04, 2009 at 04:17 PM EDT

Very usefull advice for successfull composting. But please keep in mind, if a person suffering from an allergy (mold allergy) the
location for a compost pile or bin should much more away from the building and best separated from the garden by a hedge. A lot of fungi, which are very usefull for composting, can be dangerous for people with such an allergy.

With kind regards

Alexander
http://www.baubiologie-niedersachsen.de

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blue comment bubble Posted by Nick Norris on August 27, 2009 at 04:36 PM EDT

One of my best friends got me into composting, and it was such a great thing to get into. It's one of the best ways to recycle EVER!


For great recycling resources, go to: http://1800recycling.com

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blue comment bubble Posted by Brian on September 04, 2009 at 07:41 PM EDT

This information is great! I have a vermicompost box that works very well.

For other composting and backyard conservation ideas go to http://www.greatbackyardideas.com

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blue comment bubble Posted by Insulated Glass on November 05, 2009 at 03:36 PM EST

Is it possible to compost things such as human excrement? Or would that not be good for the lawn. I understand you can buy dirt that has excrement inside of it, but has it been specially treated?

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