How to Use a Compost Bin

Many people use a compost bin and think that they are doing something good for the environment. But if you don't know the correct way to compost, you could be doing more harm than good. Here's the correct way to use a compost bin.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. There is a tremendous amount of items that can go in your basic compost pile or mechanical composter, but there are some items that are huge no-no's. Composting tries to achieve a blend of nitrogen and carbon items (termed "green" and "brown") so that you get good bacteria, plenty of earthworms and other things that will improve your soil's texture and nutrients. Layering brown and green items with a thin layer of soil is the best way to compost. Keeping items that shouldn't be composted is the best way to keep it from becoming toxic.

2. Acidic items like citrus fruits, grapes, tomatoes and tomato products, pickles, orange juice, etc., shouldn't be used in a compost pile. These items can kill the bacteria that a compost pile accumulates over the course of the breakdown. Never put items in that will mess around with the pH of the pile.

3. Although biodegradable, cooked vegetables, meat, dairy items, bones, fish, bread and grains, should not be put into a compost pile. These items will produce odor and attract nighttime critters to your pile. Compost, even while decomposing, shouldn't have a bad odor, and if it does it could be from what you're putting into it.

4. Some plants aren't good to put into a compost pile. Plants that are diseased, varieties that are invasive, or weeds that have gone to seed aren't a good mix for the compost. The heat radiated throughout the pile may not reach temperatures that will kill the weeds or the disease and thus infect other plants or put new weeds in your garden.

5. Colored paper, glossy paper, pressure treated and chemically enhanced wood and wood items, and dyed human hair have chemicals in them that shouldn't be broken down to reuse in a garden setting.

6. Other no-no items include dog and cat feces, cat litter and human feces. While other animal feces is fine, these produce gases that negate the favorable conditions that a compost heap should have.