Introduction
Wondering how to create nutrient-rich compost for your garden? Composting involves choosing the location, filling your bin with a mixture of green and brown materials, and then waiting.
In this post we’ll lay out step-by-step exactly how to create compost in a bin. So you can finally improve soil fertility and nurture your garden with lovely earthy compost.
Step 1 – Setting up the compost bin
To begin, choose a suitable location for your bin, ideally on a level, well-drained area with good air circulation.
Compost bins are often located in an area of the garden that is less useful for growing, in the northern hemisphere this might be on the north facing side of the garden, or in partial shade.
Don’t locate your bin in deep shade, a bit of sun helps to keep the bin warm and make sure that the composting process happens.
The bin should be in touch with the soil, so that soil creatures such as worms and bacteria can enter the compost ecosystem and do their work to break down the material. So don’t put it on a driveway or patio.
Photo Credit Liz Darley: Homemade compost bin in touch with the earth
Step 2 – What to put in your compost bin
At the bottom of the bin place a layer of coarse materials like small branches or straw to aid drainage and aeration.
Now, it’s time to start the composting layers. Begin with a mixture of green materials, such as kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels and fresh garden waste like grass clippings and leaves. Green materials are high in nitrogen.
The next layer should be brown materials like shredded cardboard or dried leaves. Brown materials are high in carbon.
You are looking to maintain a balance between these greens and browns to ensure proper decomposition.
The way I make sure this happens is that if I have a lot of green materials to add at once (e.g. lawn clippings) then I make sure to add in some browns at the same time (e.g. small pieces of cardboard or newspaper).
A tip to speed up the process when you are starting a new bin is to add in a couple of spadefuls of old compost. The old compost will be rich in microbes and soil creatures that are needed for composting. Adding them into your mix, with lots of the food that these creatures like (the greens and the browns) allows them to get to work straight away decomposing your waste.
If you don’t have any yourself, see if you can get some from a gardener friend, Shop bought compost won’t work as it has been processed at such high heats that the soil life has been killed off.
The pile should be moist but not soggy. So only add water if your materials are really dry.
Step 3 – Should I turn my compost?
If you turn your compost it will aerate the materials, mix up all the creatures and microbes and make the composting process happen faster.
If you don’t turn your compost, the process will still happen, just at a slower rate.
Turning compost is hard work, and the hard work can be done by the soil life if you are patient enough to wait.
Generally I don’t turn compost through the heat of the summer, as the weather is already helping to speed things up.
I sometimes turn compost through the winter, every 6 – 8 weeks as the cold slows things down within the compost bin.
It just depends how fast you need your compost.
Turning compost involves digging out some of the bottom material in your bin (which tends to be more decomposed) and putting it to the top.
Two ways to help with turning compost and speeding things up are to use a compost tumbler or a three bin system.
Step 4 – Wait
Successful composting takes time. Generally you need to wait somewhere between 6 months and a year.
The organisms, such as worms, slugs and microbes need to do their work. They need to feed and multiply and in that process they transform your organic waste into a valuable resource for your garden.
It depends on the conditions of your heap, like where it is, how warm it is, how moist it is and how much existing microbes and soil life there is as to how fast it will decompose.
Step 5 – Remove the compost from your bin and use
In the summer, in a bin that has the right mix of greens and browns with a healthy population of microbes and soil creatures. Compost could be ready in a few months. Or it might take a year or even two in very cold climates.
Even if you look inside and it doesn’t look ready around the outside edges, look deep into the middle of the pile – that’s where you will find your compost.
It’s ready when it resembles that dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling substance.
You’ll know your compost is ready when it no longer looks like its original ingredients, and you can’t identify any individual scraps or materials. It should have a rich, soil-like texture, be free of any foul smells, and should crumble easily when squeezed.
When you reach this stage, you can confidently use your compost to improve soil fertility, enhance plant growth, and contribute to a healthier and more sustainable garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will speed up the composting process?
Adding a couple of spadefuls of old compost that is alive with bacteria, microbes, worms and soil life will really help. If you don’t have any you could use a spadeful of garden soil as long as it is free from pesticides or fertilizers.
Human urine is rich in nitrogen and can also be used to speed things up – just don’t add too much you still need your mix of greens and browns (urine is a green).
Adding tiger worms will also speed up the process. These are widely available online.
Do I need to add water?
I have never added water to my heaps, but if you have a particularly dry mix of materials then you might need to add a little. The mix should be soggy.
Don’t forget that greens like kitchen scraps and leaves from the garden already have moisture in them which is generally enough to create a moist mixture.
How often should compost be turned?
It depends on how quickly you need your compost. If you want it ready in a couple of months, then it should be turned every few weeks.
If you can wait for 6 months and it’s warm weather it probably won’t need to be turned at all.
Does it need to be open at the bottom? Can I use a bin without holes?
Yes. As the waste material decomposes there is a leachate, which is a liquid, that is produced. If there are no holes at the bottom then this liquid will gather at the base and over time cause a smell, and stop the composting process.
If rain gets into the bin, this will also gather at the bottom.
Does a compost bin smell?
No. If it has been set up properly it shouldn’t smell. If it does smell, then something is wrong with the mix of greens and browns or with the moisture content.
What happens if I leave the compost for too long?
Nothing, it just keeps breaking down. It can still be used if you have left it for a very long time. As long as it has that earthy smell, and the dark colour of compost then it is good to use.
What to put in AND what not to put into the compost bin?
- Tea bags – the leaves are fine, bags contain microplastics and don’t break down
- Grass clippings – just make sure to mix in some browns (shredded newspaper or cardboard) if you have lots to add all at once
- Cooked food, meat, mouldy bread – no attracts rats and other vermin
- Vegetable and fruit peelings – yes these are great
- Egg shells – can be added, will decompose quicker if they are crushed
- Fruit stones – can be added, but they will take a longer time to break down
Conclusion
By following these five steps, you can transform organic waste into a valuable resource that enriches your garden’s soil and promotes sustainable gardening practices, reaping the rewards of healthier and more robust plant growth. Happy composting!
I’d love to hear about your experiences with composting in the comments below.