How to Compost at Home
What is Composting?
You can compost brush, leaves, grass clippings, and a lot of your kitchen food scraps in your backyard. All you need is a bin or a place for a compost pile, something to mix your compost like a shovel or rake, and a small bin to collect your kitchen food scraps. Home composting also saves the energy used to run waste collection trucks, conserves water in the garden by helping soils retain moisture, and reduces the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers, all of which save money, and the environment wins as well.
Click the drop-down buttons below to learn how to start composting in your backyard, including steps to:
- choose your composting method
- set up your bin or pile
- learn what can be composted
- troubleshoot your compost pile
- use your finished compost
Choose Your Composting Method
There are two main methods of backyard composting: cold composting and hot composting. Both methods have benefits and drawbacks. Click the drop-down buttons to learn more and determine which method is best for you.
Cold composting, also known as slow composting, is when organic materials break down on their own without intensive intervention and monitoring methods, like turning the compost pile and measuring the temperate. Cold composting is a good option if you do not have enough organic material to create a hot composting pile or want to maintain a lower maintenance compost pile.
Cold Composting Basics
- Materials can take up to a year to break down.
- Not all seeds and pathogens will not get destroyed during decomposition because the cold compost pile does not get hot enough.
- Material can be continuously added the pile throughout the year, but the composting process can slow down in colder months as the pile retains less heat.
The simplest way to build a cold compost system is to create a pile of fall leaves in your backyard. You can continue to add to the pile as you collect more leaves.
In addition, you can add food waste to the pile. Be sure that the food waste is buried and fully covered by several inches of leaves or other brown material to avoid pests, animals, and odors.
Steps
- A cold composting pile does not require consistent temperature and moisture content monitoring. However, if you are adding food waste to your cold composting pile, the pile should maintain a 2-3 parts brown to 1-part green material.
- Turn the pile regularly with a rake or aerator by bringing outer materials to the center to ensure air flow. This can also speed up the composting process.
- If the pile is too dry, add green material or water.
Hot composting, also known as fast composting, is when organic material breaks down in a controlled environment. Hot composting can create higher quality compost, kill seeds and pathogens, and produce finished compost in several months.
Unlike cold composting, hot composting requires more attention and labor. The pile must be aerated and turned routinely, monitored for the moisture level and temperature, maintain a proper ratio of brown to green material.
There are two forms of hot composting – single batch and continuous pile.
Single Batch Hot Composting
In single batch hot composting, organic material is added all at once to form the compost pile. Single batch piles should be 3’ wide x 3’ tall x 3’ long to ensure the pile can maintain heat and decompose.
Continuous Pile Hot Composting
In continuous pile hot composting, organic material is added as it becomes available. This method is ideal if you:
- Do not have enough material to start a single batch hot composting pile.
- Want to add organic material as it is produced.
- Do not have the capacity to store organic material for long periods of time.
Steps
- After a hot compost pile is created, it should heat up within a few days.
- Turn the pile weekly with a rake or aerator by bringing outer materials to the center.
- The pile should stay hot for several weeks. Measure the temperature of the pile frequently (every few days to daily if possible). If the pile is not heating up and staying at 110-150°, check Compost Troubleshooting for tips.
- Measure the moisture content of the pile every few days. Check Compost Troubleshooting if the moisture level is incorrect.
- After the pile cools down, let it sit for 6-12 weeks to finish curing. The curing process stabilizes the compost.
Note: 110°-150° F is the ideal temperature range for a compost pile. The pile must reach 130° for 3 consecutive days to kill pathogens and 140° to kill seeds. The center of the pile should not be over 160°.
Set Up Your Bin or Pile
Before building a compost pile, choose a location in your backyard using the following guidelines:
- Set up on dry, level soil in a shaded or partially shaded area. For tumblers (often made of black plastic), keep out of direct sun since black plastic absorbs a lot of heat.
- Set up in an area that allows for water drainage (i.e., not at the bottom of a hill)
- Make sure the compost pile is convenient to get to from your house but leave at least 3 ft. of space around pile so it is easy to tend to all of the pile.
- Avoid clutter around the compost pile. Clutter can encourage rodents to live near the pile.
- Optional: add hardware cloth under compost bin to prevent rodents.
Types of Backyard Composters
Click the drop-down buttons to learn about the different types of compost bins.
Construct a one, two, or three bin system out of wood, pallets, chicken wire, or similar materials. Each bin should be 3’ wide x 3’ tall x 3’ long. A lid cover can be installed to retain moisture and prevent the pile from drying out.
In a one bin system, continue to add material to the first bin. Remove and screen finished compost.
In a two-bin system, add organic material to the first bin. After the temperature rises and falls, move and store material in the second bin to continue curing for several weeks.
In a three-bin system, add organic material to the first bin. After the temperature rises and falls, transfer material to the second bin to continue curing for several weeks. Continue adding organic material to the first bin. Store finished compost in the third bin.
Earth Machine Backyard Composters are 80-gallon compost containers. Earth Machines work in most outdoor spaces but can be especially helpful for those that want to minimize rodent issues, have smaller yards, or do not want to construct their own compost bin.
Orange County Solid Waste sells Earth Machines year-round.
To use the Earth Machine, layer brown and green material in the container. Turn the material regularly (weekly or every other week) using a rake, aerator, or other garden tool (not sold by Orange County Solid Waste). Harvest finished compost using the sliding door at the bottom of the container.
- Tumbling composters (not sold by Orange County Solid Waste)
- Leaf pile (see Cold Composting)
- Vermicomposting
Pile Ingredients
A composting pile requires four basic components: materials high in carbon (browns), materials high in nitrogen (greens), oxygen, and water. Click the drop-down buttons to learn more about each of these important ingredients to a healthy backyard compost pile.
Browns – materials high in carbon.
- Examples: autumn leaves, straw, potting soil, old mulch, plant stalks, wood chips and sawdust (not chemically treated or painted wood), nut shells, coffee filters, fiber egg cartons, napkins, newspaper, cardboard, twigs, hay, and bark.
Aim for 2-3 parts brown material to 1-part green material in your compost pile, by volume.
Greens - materials high in nitrogen
- Examples: fruit and vegetables (remove produce stickers), eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags (remove staples and plastic tags), garden/houseplant trimmings, grass clippings, herbivorous animal manure.
Aim for 2-3 parts brown material to 1-part green material in your compost pile, by volume.
Compost piles need ventilation. Anaerobic (no air) compost piles smell bad, compost slowly, and produce dense, wet, and smelly compost.
Turn the pile weekly using a rake or aerator by bringing outer materials to the center of the pile. If turning is not possible, poke your pile with a stick or broom handle to help air flow into the pile.
Keep your compost pile moist to help the food scraps and other yard waste break down. The pile should have a moisture content of 45-60%.
The moisture content can be measured using a moisture meter or using the squeeze test. To conduct the squeeze test, grab a handful of material from the compost pile and squeeze it. A few drops of water should come from the squeeze material.
Rain naturally adds water to your compost pile. If it hasn’t rained recently, you can use a hose to add water until your pile has the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
Layering Your Ingredients
There are two methods to set up and maintain a compost pile: lasagna method and nest method. Click the drop-down buttons to determine which layering method is best for you.
- Make a 6-8" base layer of your browns with sticks and leaves.
- Add 2-5" greens.
- Continue to 4-5" layer browns and 2-3" greens with some water.
- Cover pile with 4-5" browns.
- Fill in sides of pile with browns (don’t want exposed greens).
- Make a 6-8" nest of your browns with sticks and leaves.
- Add greens to center.
- Cover with 4-5" browns.
- Fill in sides of pile with browns (don’t want exposed greens).
Learn What Can Be Composted
As a general rule, if "it grows, it goes!" This means that most of your kitchen food scraps can be composted in your backyard pile. Exceptions to this are meat and dairy products as they will attract pests and your backyard compost pile will not get hot enough to kill the pathogens.
Click the drop-down buttons to see what can and cannot be composted in your backyard.
| Green Materials (Nitrogen containing materials) | Brown Materials (Carbon containing materials) |
| Grass clippings | Leaves, twigs, yard trimmings |
| Houseplant leaves | Natural fiber yarn, thread, string, rope |
| Vegetables, fruits | Paper rolls (towel, toilet, gift wrap) |
| Coffee grounds, paper filters | Nut shells (not walnut) |
| Tea bags, leaves | Straw, hay, corn cobs |
| Egg shells (rinsed) | Newspaper, nonglossy paper |
| Old herbs, spices | Paper napkins and bags |
| Flowers, dead blossoms | Sawdust, wood bark and chips |
| Juice, beer, wine | Bamboo skewers, toothpicks |
| Freezer-burned vegetables, fruits | Pizza and cereal boxes, paper egg cartons |
| Herbivorous animal manure (rabbits, cows, sheep, chickens, horses) | Pencil shavings |
| Hair, nail clippings | Paper baking cups |
| Grains, cereal, crackers | |
| Cotton balls (not used with chemicals) |
| Meat, seafood, or bones | Painted and treated wood |
| Eggs or dairy | Glossy/heavily coated paper |
| Fats, oils, lard, or grease | Compostable plastics |
| Cooked food | Black walnut tree leaves, branches, and husks (release substance that may harm plants) |
| Chemically treated plants/yard trimmings | Used facial or toilet tissue |
| Dryer lint | Charcoal ash or coal (does not decay, may contain harmful substances) |
| Produce stickers | Pine needles (waxy coating) |
| Weeds (those spread by root/runner or that have seeds) | Treated wood, pressed wood, and plywood |
| Wood ash (no more than 1-2 handfuls) | Diapers |
| Diseased and pest-infested plants | Pet waste and cat litter |
Troubleshoot Your Compost Pile
Click the drop-down buttons to explore solutions to common compost pile problems.
If your compost pile smells like rancid butter, vinegar, or rotten eggs, it means that your pile:
- is too wet or,
- does not have enough air,
- has too much nitrogen (kitchen food scraps) compared to carbon (leaves and other brown material).
Solution: turn your pile and mix in leaves, straw, sawdust, or woodchips with a goal of 3:1 carbon to nitrogen material in your compost pile.
If your compost pile is not heating up, it means that your pile:
- is too small, or
- too dry, or
- does not have enough nitrogen (green material like kitchen food scraps).
Solution: make your pile larger, provide insulation, add water while turning your pile, or add more nitrogen (kitchen food scraps).
If your compost pile is not heating up, it means that:
- food scraps are not well covered or
- meat or dairy products were added.
Solution: cover food in your compost pile with brown leaves, wood chips, or finished compost. Keep meat and dairy out of pile. As an optional step, enclose your pile in 1/4-in hardware cloth.
If your compost pile is damp but won't heat up, it means that your pile does not have enough nitrogen (kitchen food scraps).
Solution: mix in more sources of green material, such as kitchen food scraps, grass clippings, or other sources of nitrogen.
If your compost pile is dry, it means that your pile:
- does not have enough moisture or
- there is too much air flow.
Solution: water and mix your compost pile well, then cover your pile loosely with a tarp or other landscape fabric to help hold in moisture.
If your compost pile is damp and warm in the middle but nowhere else, it means that your pile is too small.
Solution: add more nitrogen and carbon material and add water.
Use Your Finished Compost
Your compost is done and ready for use when:
- The original organic matter is unrecognizable.
- The compost pile is less than 10° warmer than the outside temperature.
- The material is dark, crumbly, and smells earthy. The material should not smell like ammonia or rotten eggs (see Compost Troubleshooting for more information).
- Optional step: screen compost by sifting it through a half-inch hardware cloth or similar item to remove items that have not fully decomposed. Place items that have not fully decomposed back in your compost pile.
How to Use Finished Compost
Click the drop-down buttons to learn about common uses for finished compost.
Combine the following components to create your own potting soil mixture:
- 2-parts compost
- 1-part coarse sand
- 1-part loamy soil or coconut coir
- ½ cup garden lime (pulverized limestone) per 8 gallons potting mix
Add a 3” layer of compost to soil surface.
- Put a mesh bag of compost into a bucket of water with the ratio of 1-part compost to 10 parts water.
- Submerge the compost in water for 48 hours and stir 12 times.
- Use the tea within 48 hours. Spray tea onto leaves or pour onto soil, but do not put it on edible parts of plants.
- Continue to make new tea with finished compost and apply every week or two weeks.
- Mix 2-4” compost into the top 6-8” of soil. Mix compost and soil before seeding and transplanting.
Quick Links
- NC DEQ Statewide Guide to Backyard Composting
- NC Composting Council
- King County Backyard Composting
- Earth Machine
Disclaimer
The links provided on this page by no means encompass the wealth of composting resources on the internet. Sources listed here do not represent endorsement of one information resource over the other.