Backyard Composting: Basic Instructions
May 1, 2010 by Becki Baumgartner
Filed under Permaculture, Sustainable Living
BACKYARD COMPOSTING
Courtesy of Metro Nashville Beautification & Environment Commission
BASIC INSTRUCTIONS
- Find an area of your yard that gets at least five hours of sunlight per day for best results. (You can compost in the shade; it takes a bit longer.)
- Make or purchase a composting bin to place in your chosen area. A wire ring of chicken wire works just fine, as does a simple pile. (Nashville Area Residents: Metro Public Works can provide composting materials at reasonable rates. For more info visit http://www.nashville.gov/beautification/compost/index.asp .) Find a container with a tight-sealing lid to store your kitchen waste.
- Fill the container with your kitchen waste.
- Accumulate a large pile of brown leaves to put in your composting bin.
- Moisten the leaves to the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
- Periodically, stir the contents of your kitchen-waste container into the pile of leaves.
- After about one month to 6-weeks, check the bottom of the pile to look for finished compost — it will look like mulch and smell like “fresh, good soil . Use it to mulch around plants and to mix with garden soil.
What Can I Put In My Compost?
Just about any kitchen or yard waste can go into your backyard compost. Dry leaves, shredded
newspaper and soiled napkins can also be mixed into the bin. Always cover food waste with
leaves, weeds, or paper to avoid attracting bugs.
YES! COMPOST KITCHEN & YARD WASTE & OTHER DRY MATERIALS
- cores/peelings
- coffee grounds
- egg shells
- fruits
- nut shells
- paper filters
- pasta
- rice
- stale bread
- tea bags
- vegetables
- flowers
- grass/hedge clippings
- houseplant cuttings
- leaves
- pine needles
- sod
- straw
- twigs
- weeds
- natural-fiber
- dryer lint
- paper towel tubes
- pet hair
- real wood ashes
- sawdust
- shredded, dry leaves
- newspaper
NO! Do NOT Compost
- bones
- fish
- dairy products
- diseased/insectinfested plants
- grease
- mature weeds (with seeds)
- meat
- oils/fats
- pet wastes
- whole egg
For More Information please visit Metro Beautification & Environment Commission
Related Links
- Download free eBook “The Dirt on Composting”
- Learn about Worm Composting
- Visit Metro Nashville Beautification & Environment Commission
Disclaimer: The statements in this article are for educational purposes only and have not been evaluated by or sanctioned by the FDA. Only your doctor can properly diagnose and treat any disease or disorder. The remedies discussed herein are not meant to treat or cure any type of disease. The user understands that the above information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician or a pharmacist.
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