A Beginner’s Guide to Composting

Amber RandhawaHomeowner and Homebuyer Tips

Were you one the many people who got really into backyard gardening during the pandemic? Or maybe you’ve always been an avid gardener, and the quarantine period just gave you more time to enjoy your hobby. The recent increase in backyard and patio container gardening goes hand-in-hand with another phenomenon that is growing in popularity – composting! Composting involves saving your kitchen scraps and other organic waste in a backyard bin or pile, to decompose into nutrient dense soil your plants will find delicious.


If you have heard a little bit about composting, you may be curious to know how this could help you and your plants, while decreasing the waste you are adding to your local landfill. If you have never composted before, we have gathered some basic information about how to get started, and why you may want to consider giving it a try.

Why is Composting a Good Idea?

Composting your kitchen scraps and garden waste breaks down the organic material, and transforms it into rich fertilizer for your soil. This means you will spend significantly less on commercial fertilizers for your vegetable and flower gardens. Also, this fertilizer is all natural without the added chemicals you will find in the bags you purchase from your local home improvement or garden store. Fertilizing your lawn and garden with compost adds nutrients to your plants and helps the soil around them retain moisture, further nourishing your tomato plants, flower beds and vegetable garden.


Another benefit to composting is that it reduces your amount of household trash, by as much as 30% according to many experts. You’ll make fewer trips from your kitchen out to the trash bin, and you can feel good about the environmental impact when your house produces fewer bags of waste. Organic material that breaks down easily in a compost pile can take far longer to disintegrate in a landfill where it lacks the oxygen to decompose quickly, and can even create harmful methane gas when it finally does. Plus, composting can be a great way to get your kids active in both gardening and environmental endeavors, as they learn the impact their actions can have on the world around them.

What Can Be Composted, and What Can’t?

The main things people compost fall into the category of organic kitchen waste – especially the parts of fruits and vegetables you throw out when you are preparing a meal. This would include things like onion skins, apple cores, strawberry stems and potato peels. Other kitchen items you might not immediately think of can also be composted, such as tea bags and coffee grounds. Step outside of your kitchen and you’ll find other items that can be added to the composter. Dead leaves, grass clippings, straw and sawdust can all be added to your kitchen scraps to increase the variety of nutrients you’ll be adding to your soil later.


Some things you toss out from your kitchen should not be composted. This includes any part of meat you are trimming, especially bones. Leftovers that are not primarily plant material should not be added to a compost pile. So feel free to toss leftover salad in, but the spaghetti and meatballs you didn’t finish in time still needs to go to the trashcan or garbage disposal. As far as garden waste goes, only small clippings should be placed in the composter. Larger stalks and branches take too long to break down, and are not good candidates for the composter.

The secret to achieving a truly healthy compost pile is to make sure your contents have the correct carbon to nitrogen ratio. Carbon-rich matter includes things like branches, stems, dried leaves, shredded brown paper bags, egg shells and coffee grounds Meanwhile nitrogen-rich ingredients for your pile include items such as kitchen waste, food scraps and green lawn clippings. To keep your compost pile happy, shoot for a ratio of one-third nitrogen to two-thirds carbon components.

What Equipment Do You Need?

The answer to this questions is, not much really. You need a small bin or pail to keep in your kitchen to collect kitchen waste throughout the day. You can purchase a composting pail, but any container with a handle and lid will do the trick. If you are concerned about the potential for odors coming from the bin, purchase a stainless steel compost pail with a carbon filter, or a ceramic model. Whatever you use, it should be relatively small and lightweight to make it easier for you or your children to carry it in and out once each day.


Outdoors, you can choose to use a container for composting or you can simply start your pile in a corner of your yard. If you live on a small lot, a container is probably a better idea. In urban areas with small lots, worm composting bins tend to be a favorite. These small bins use the power of earthworms to speed up the composting process in a small space. Compost tumblers also work well when space is an issue. These sealed containers can be rotated to mix the composting material as it breaks down, which is advantageous when you do not have room for a large pile that you turn more manually with a pitchfork or shovel, or in areas where raccoons and other foragers are a concern.

You can also make your own composting bin out of a large plastic garbage can. You need to aerate your bin by drilling small holes in the bottom of the can, though be aware that small rodents can still make their way into your pile if you are using this time of enclosure. You will also need to make sure the pile inside can be accessed easily for turning and mixing.

Get to Work

Throughout the day, add your compostable kitchen waste to your indoor composting bin or pail. Once each day, take your indoor pail out to the main composting pile. This is a perfect chore for the kids, and making it part of your daily routine will keep the indoor bin from developing a smell that will overpower your kitchen. At least once each month, grab a pitchfork or shovel and “mix” your outdoor compost pile a bit. Stirring the composting material helps to speed up the decomposition process, and helps to keep away any unwanted pests. If you are using an outdoor bin, you’ll simply turn the material inside the bin.


Over time, the material will break down until the bottom of your pile begins to resemble rich soil. You’ll know its ready when you don’t see anymore recognizable scraps in the soil. Harvest the soil from the bottom of your bin once or twice each year. If you find material that has not quite broken down yet, just toss it back into the pile. This heavily fertilized soil can be spread on garden beds or used in container gardens.

You may need to occasionally water your compost pile, especially in times of dry weather when there is not much rain or other moisture in the air. Your pile should be damp but not soaked, so just a sprinkling of water will help during the long stretches between rain. Keeping a little bit of moisture in your compost will help it decompose more quickly.

Composting Concerns

If this process scares you off a bit, you’re not alone. Many people are a bit put off by the idea of having a pile of what they see as rotting trash taking up space on their property. Your first question might be regarding the potential smells that can emit from the pile, and specifically whether or not these smells will attract flies and other pests. Your indoor bin should be taken out daily to avoid this issue. If your outdoor pile begins to smell bad, just give it a few turns and add some grass clippings to neutralize the odor. Your indoor pail should be washed thoroughly after you dump out its contents, which will help keep things clean indoors. If you are worried about your compost pile attracting bigger pests than simple flies, you can opt to use an animal resistant bin instead of an open pile. These bins keep rodents and raccoons away, and when coupled with frequent grass-clipping additions, you shouldn’t find any unexpected furry friends in your pile.


Perhaps you’re unsure whether or not you have enough room to set up a composting operation. According to gardening experts, a compost pile can be set up in as little as 9 square feet of space, or even less if you are using a self-contained space-saving bin. And lastly, many people think the idea of composting just sounds messy and unclean. However, since you are tossing the contents of your indoor bin daily, composting is actually cleaner for many homes than tossing kitchen waste into the trash. Think about how many days those onion skins and potato peels stick around in your kitchen waiting for the trash can to be full enough to take out. Unless you are diligent about removing your trash each day, composting is likely the cleaner option.