How Does Composting Work?

Build the pile

A compost pile is made up of layers of refuse from the kitchen and yard.
The composting process changes trash to nutrient-rich soil. Save produce peelings and meal scraps in a container. This is nitrogen- filled green matter for compost.
You do not want any meat, fats or pet manure in your compost. This can entice animals to dig into your pile and scatter the contents.
Set up a compost area with a pre-made container or your own homemade containment area. A four-foot-tall by four-foot-wide compost bin is sufficient for one family.

The pile cooks

Yard waste consists of leaves and sticks. This is carbon or brown matter. It is important to layer the compost and keep stirring it every few days. Start with sticks on the bottom. Add brown matter and green matter.
The material will begin to break down and heat. You will be able to see steam rising from a cooking pile on a chilly day.
A healthy compost pile will reach temperatures from 90 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Insects and worms will be hard at work turning the refuse into soil. They eat the matter and add their excrement to the pile. Microorganisms continue the process to break the materials down into smaller particles by decomposition.

It is important to aerate the compost. Aeration keeps the pile from being smothered or anaerobic with no oxygen. This will cause odor. The composting process will shut down and you may have an abundance of weeds.
Use a pitchfork or shovel to manually turn the materials over thoroughly. You may have a commercially produced compost bin which turns with a handle. Make sure to tumble the unit every few days. You need to add water to your pile. It needs a 40 to 60 % moisture content.
The composted pile will give you a rich, nutrient filled soil while cutting down on refuse from your home and yard. You can use it as a natural fertilizer in your plant pots, flower beds and garden.

When compost is ready to use

Compost is ready to use when you can see dark soil with no green leafy or brown leaf matter. This rich soil is a nutrient-filled fertilizer that you can spread out before seeding your lawn. It is excellent to spread in the bottom of holes that you have dug when transplanting vegetable or flower seedlings. Add it to the soil when planting shrubs and other trees. Mix small amounts into potting soil to give your house plants an organic fertilizer.
Compost has been nicknamed "Black Gold" for its value as a fertilizer for home and garden.