Rather than throwing out leftovers and yard clippings, many gardeners are making good use of their waste by creating compost.
Composting is the process of recycling organic matter into nutrient-rich fertilizer that enhances soil health, supports plant growth and cuts down on waste to landfills.
Nancy Reeves, a Lowndes County Master Gardener, has been composting at home for more than eight years. She believes everyone can, and should, get started.
“Just do it,” Reeves said. “And if you’re doing it right or wrong, which I am, it’s going to help your soil either way. My advice is do it because it’s good for your ground and great for your plants.”
But how does someone get started composting at home? What sorts of waste can go into compost? What kind of container is best? And when can you start using compost in your garden?
What can you add to compost?
Composting requires a balance of two main types of organic waste: “browns,” which are high in carbon, and “greens,” which are high in nitrogen.
Some examples of brown materials include sawdust, newspaper, yard waste, cardboard and dry grass clippings. Some green materials include fresh grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, hair, coffee grounds and tea bags, according to an article from Mississippi State University Extension.
Not all organic materials are suitable for composting. MSU Extension recommends avoiding diseased plants, grease, oils, meat scraps, bones and wood shavings from treated lumber, all of which can introduce harmful bacteria or chemicals into your compost.
Reeves said she’s also learned which materials just aren’t worth the wait.
“Over time, you learn what doesn’t break down,” Reeves said. “Corn cobs, that’s not going to break down for a long time. So it’s trial and error. If you’re willing to wait 50 years for that corn cob to break down, go ahead and throw it in.”
To create the right environment for decomposition, MSU Extension recommends layering greens and browns, with brown layers about twice as thick as green layers to ensure an ideal ratio of high carbon, low nitrogen.
But for Reeves, composting doesn’t need to be scientific.
“For me, that’s just all semantics,” Reeves said. “Just put it out there and remember to keep adding to it.”
Where should you put your compost?
The simplest way to compost, according to MSU Extension, is to start a pile directly on the ground. However, using an enclosure can help manage temperature, moisture and odor.
Reeves keeps her compost in a lidded wooden box, which she says helps maintain warmth and moisture. But she’s also experimented with open piles and rotating tumblers.
“I’m not going to say one is better than the other,” Reeves said. “It just takes time … You could just designate a spot on the ground that’s out of the way, and that does just as good as any fancy boxes you get.”
Materials like wire fencing, wooden pallets, cement blocks and even repurposed bathtubs can serve as effective compost bins. MSU Extension suggests aiming for a container that’s at least three feet wide and three feet tall.
Any enclosure needs to allow for easy turning, which is the process of mixing the pile to provide oxygen to the microbes doing the work of decomposition.
Reeves says her husband turns their compost about twice a week. Extension experts say turning it just twice a month can be sufficient.
When can you use it?
Compost typically takes about six months to fully break down. It’s ready to use when it has a dark color, crumbly texture and an earthy smell, according to MSU Extension.
Reeves said she and her husband sift the compost to find the most broken-down material to add to their garden, but that step isn’t necessarily required.
“Some just fork it right from the compost into the garden, and that’s fine, too,” Reeves said. “If it’s not quite broken down, and you put it in your bed, it’s going to break down eventually.”
Once broken down, or nearly so, compost can be used as a fertilizer or soil conditioner in vegetable beds, flower gardens or around trees.
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