Simple Steps for Starting at Home Provided by DHEC’s Office of Solid Waste Reduction & Recycling www.scdhec.gov/dontwastefoodsc Composting is nature’s way Table of to recycle. Contents What type of composting works Composting happens. It’s simply the slow, natural decomposition of best for me? .............. 3 organics. Backyard Composting at home is the controlled and faster decomposition of Composting ............... 4 organics such as yard trimmings and food waste that you and your Do-It-Yourself Bins ....4 family generate. Microorganisms break down this material into compost Bins to Buy .................5 – a nutrient-rich product that can be used as a soil amendment in yards, gardens, flower beds and potted plants. Open Composting .....5 Backyard Composting Step-By-Step...............6 What goes in your Why compost at home? backyard compost? ...7 Temperature • It’s good for you and the environment. Check ..........................8 The product you make is valuable. It can improve the soil, prevent Common Problems erosion, reduce the use of fertilizer and water – saving natural & Simple Solutions ....8 resources and money – as well as decrease the amount of waste you When is my compost generate. ready to use? ..............9 Other Methods of Composting • It involves little effort, equipment, expense and & Diversion ............. 10 expertise. You can reduce food waste at home. ....... 12 This guide addresses several home composting options and will help you decide which one is best for you. Backyard composting is the Resources & Contact Information ............ 12 most common choice and the focus of this publication. Let’s get started. Consider the following questions when planning to compost at home. Use the flow chart on the following page to help you decide which method to use. 1. How much space do you have at home? 2. What material will you be composting? 3. How much time and effort can you give to this project? 2 Composting: Recycling Naturally – Simple Steps for Starting at Home What type of composting works best for me? START HERE Can you compost at home? Commercial Where? Yes No Hauler Page 11 How do you feel Outside Inside Ick! about worms? Bokashi Page 11 What will Food waste Worm Bin only you compost? Page 10 Food waste Got leaves? (Or paper or straw?) & yard mi Green Cone Page 10 Yes No Want super Just leaves simple? Piles & He aps Yes, K.I.S.S.! Page 5 Not that simple Pile or Bin Page 5 Sheet Mulching/ Compost IN Lasagna Gardening Sure No Page 5 the garden? Tumbler or Can you dig it? Rolling Bin Page 5 No, let’s have a Yes Pits & Trenches “compost area” Page 5 Circular or What’s your style? Enclosed Bin + fun? Page 5 Worried Fan Favorite! about pests? Wooden Shabby chic or Pallet Bin* Yes Very Page 4 Spend $$? Not really YES! Substantial No DIY? Elegant Minimalist Free is good (AKA easy + inexpensive) Brick Bin* Cinder Block Bin* ADAPTED Page 4 Page 4 FROM Wire Bin* Page 4 *Triple these to make gardensthatmatter.com a 3-section system. Composting: Recycling Naturally – Simple Steps for Starting at Home 3 Backyard Composting Options Do-It-Yourself Bins TYPE PROS & CONS SUGGESTIONS & PRECAUTIONS Bricks Pros: Long-lasting, neat appearance, Layer bricks to leave spaces for inexpensive if reusing material, can aeration. add material during process. Cons: Time consuming to build, expensive if using new material, Brick Bin cannot be moved. Cinder Pros: Long-lasting, holes provide Mortar may not be required if Blocks aeration without having to turn stacked evenly. You should need 20 material as often, inexpensive for or less standard cinder blocks for a reused or new material, can add bin 3 feet square. material during process. Cons: Cannot be moved. Wire Pros: Simple to build, inexpensive Cut an opening in the wire towards for reused or new material, can add the bottom to remove finished material during the process. compost. Cons: Temperature may not stay Cinder Block Bin as hot. Wooden Pros: Inexpensive if reusing Untreated wood is preferred. Check or Pallets material. with local stores to see if they will Cons: Will have to be replaced donate used pallets. Using chicken eventually due to decomposition of wire in combination with the wood the wood. will help hold materials in the bin. Three Pros: Reduces decomposition time Fill the first bin with material. When Sections from months to weeks, provides it’s full, turn the contents into the storage for finished compost, can second bin. Begin filling the first bin produce higher volume of material again while continuing the process at varied intervals, can add material of moving the material from the Wire Bin during process. second to the third bin. When the Cons: Time consuming to build, material in the third bin is ready, more manual labor to turn material. remove the finished compost and begin the process again. SHOPPING LIST DIY Wire Bin • 4-ft. metal poles (4) • zip ties (12+) • chicken wire (12+ ft.) • metal clips (3+) Wooden Bin STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3: Use a hammer to drive Use about 12 feet of chicken Leave one end detached so metal posts or rebar into wire to wrap around the the bin can be opened to turn the ground. Space the posts outside of the posts. Attach the pile. Use metal clips to about 3 feet apart. wire to posts with zip ties. close the open end. Three-Section Bin 4 Composting: Recycling Naturally – Simple Steps for Starting at Home Bins to Buy TYPE PROS & CONS Circular Pros: Lightweight, adjustable, can add material during process. Bins Cons: Minimal barrier to pets/pests. Enclosed Pros: Neat appearance, low cost, low maintenance, good barrier to pets/ Bins pests. Circular Bin Cons: Slower decomposition time, cannot add material once full, limited space for material. Rolling Pros: Can be moved for loading and emptying or for out-of-sight storage, Bins or low maintenance, less manual labor, faster decomposition time, good Barrels barrier to pets/pests. Cons: Fully loaded drums can be heavy and difficult to roll, less capacity for material. Tumblers Pros: Simple loading and emptying, low maintenance, less manual labor, good barrier to pets/pests. Cons: Fully loaded drums can be heavy and difficult to turn, less capacity Enclosed Bin for material. Open Composting TYPE PROS & CONS SUGGESTIONS & PRECAUTIONS Piles Pros: Minimal labor, can add When adding material, mix well and material during process, low cover with browns. maintenance. Cons: Slower decomposition, no Tumblers barrier to pets/pests. Pits or Pros: Minimal labor, no browns Fully cover greens and bury where Trenches required, low maintenance. pets will not dig. Cons: Slower decomposition, new holes/trenches required for new material. Sheet Pros: No moving compost to Overlap cardboard or wet Mulching garden, low maintenance. newspaper for the weed barrier and or Lasagna plant directly into the top layers. Gardening Cons: Wait time for planting, no barrier to pets/pests. Pit Composting Collecting Your Household Food Waste A container with a lid is a great way to store food waste in the kitchen until you are ready to take it outside. To avoid odors and flies, empty the container at least every two days, sprinkle sawdust on top of food layers or store your food waste in the freezer. Composting: Recycling Naturally – Simple Steps for Starting at Home 5 Backyard Composting Step-By-Step Once you’ve decided which backyard option you’ll be using, follow these steps. Size matters. Connect to the soil. Add ingredients. 1 Three square feet is ideal for 2 Your compost needs 3 Making compost is a lot like a pile or bin, but don’t exceed microorganisms from the soil. cooking a meal – you need 5 square feet. The spot If using a pile or bin open to a recipe. Alternate layers of should be level and at least the ground, loosen the soil greens and browns as listed 2 feet away from structures about an inch deep before below. TIP: Make sure the (e.g., house, fence, trees). adding material. For enclosed top layer is always browns. bins, place a layer of soil at the bottom of the container. Check moisture. Mix it up. Watch and it’s done! 4 Water is important. Too 5 Air is essential. Use a 6 As material breaks down the little moisture will inhibit the pitchfork, shovel or roll compost will get warm. Don’t composting process. Too your tumbler to turn your be alarmed if there is steam. much moisture will cause the compost – preferably once Wait about 12 weeks. When compost to smell. TIP: The a week, but no less than your compost has no pieces compost should be as moist twice a month – to inhibit of food and is a dark, soil-like as a damp sponge. odor-causing bacteria and to material, it’s ready! See pages speed the process. 8 and 9 for more tips. The Compost Recipe Four basic ingredients are required for backyard composting: 1) browns; 2) greens; 3) air; and 4) water. Mixing the right amounts of these ingredients will provide the composting microorganisms with enough carbon and nitrogen as well as oxygen and moisture to break down the material into finished compost. Recipes vary. A common mix is three parts browns to one part greens. Other variables in making compost include pile size, content, particle size, turning frequency, moisture and temperature. Getting the right proportions may take time and adjustments, but don’t get bogged down on the recipe. 6 Composting: Recycling Naturally – Simple Steps for Starting at Home What goes in your backyard compost? CARBON MATERIALS (Browns) NITROGEN MATERIALS (Greens) Shredded cardboard Bread & grains Dryer and vacuum Coffee grounds cleaner lint & paper filters Fruits (cooked or Crushed egg shells uncooked – limit citrus) Fireplace or wood ash (no coal ash) Green grass clippings Hay and straw Green leaves Pinestraw (small amounts) Green shrub prunings Nut shells Hair and fur Household plants House plants and used potting soil Old brush, shrub trimmings Kelp or seaweed and prunings Manure from chickens, Paper towels and towel rolls rabbits, cows, horses (herbivores) Saw dust and wood chips Old flowers (untreated) Shredded newspaper Tea bags (with tags) Yard trimmings Vegetables (cooked or uncooked) (dry leaves, clippings and twigs) NOTE: Always mix food waste into the middle of the pile to avoid odors and pests.