Composting is a great thing to do for many reasons. Reducing the amount of “stuff” one throws away at the curb each week and creating an incredible soil amendment are two of several benefits to composting. I won’t attempt to be exhaustive in this forum.

Although one can get real specific and nerdy about the specifics of composting, it is generally a fairly simple process that can be done in a variety of ways. From open pits to enclosed composting systems, there are many different options for those out there desiring to do more with their organic materials than toss them in the garbage.

ONE:Composting will happen despite you, but you’re intervention will make the process more efficient and effective.

A 30:1 Carbon/Nitrogen ratio is best for an active compost pile. In simple terms this means that one needs 30 parts Carbon (dead leaves, corrogated cardboard, toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, pine needles, sawdust (hardwoods), etc..) to 1 part Nitrogen (food scraps, fresh grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc…). This ratio will allow the micro-organisms at play to do their job most effectively and therefore give one finished compost in a quick fashion, meaning four to eight weeks – depending on other conditions.

TWO: Other factors necessary for composting

For one’s compost pile to break down effectively, a few factors must be adhered to. Any good compost pile needs 1)moisture, 2)aeration and 3)organic materials for microbes to thrive upon. A compost pile must retain the moisture of a wrung-out sponge, be aerated weekly (at least) and composed of natural materials (food scraps, plants, lawn trimmings as opposed to plastic, gasoline and discarded rollerblades).

Here is how it works for an enclosed compost pile.

There are many options for container composting. Here we see the Envirocycle, a rigged-up galvanized trash can and the ultra-sweet Compost Tumbler. Folks can start by putting all their table scraps and vegetable matter (everything from garlic paper to apple cores to stale bread) into a small compost bucket which can be placed under the kitchen sink for convenience. Once the bucket is full it should be emptied into the larger composting bin outdoors. Achieving the 30:1 Carbon:Nitrogen ratio is the goal for the conscientious composter and can be achieved by paying attention to the pile. If one has too much Carbon (dead leaves, paper scraps), the compost will take a LONG time to break down. On the other hand, if one has too much Nitrogen (vegetable scraps, coffee grounds) the pile will smell terrible – like sewage.

Once a decent amount of organic materials have been assimilated, you’ll want to aerate the pile once a week or so… If you’ve got a fancy Envirocylce or CompostTumbler this simply involves spinning the container as it is designed. For the simple trashcan it is easy to dump out the entire contents on the ground – then replace them to the container with a pitchfork. This is enough to aerate the compost, giving the microbes life and the ability to break down the solids quickly.

While I’m emptying out my can for aeration I usually find it necessary to add a bunch of carbon to even out the ratio. In the photo below I’m adding shredded newspaper (125:1) and a toilet paper tube (500:1) to the gob of stuff in the above picture. Since that gob stank a bit, and was too moist – this step should provide balance and make for a better finished compost.

After adding dry, carbon-rich materials to the pile I scoop up the dumped materials and put it back into the can.

Finished compost should be fairly uniform. One shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an eggshell and a banana peel – as pictured below.

Finished compost can be added to garden beds of any type to reinvigorate the soil with oodles of beneficial microbes and nutrients hellbent on improving the overall condition for any living thing. Compost will help break up clay-like soils and replenish depleted areas organically.