Heather’s Gardening Service

Written by Heather Morren

Long before every household had a city distributed green bin, my family composted our household waste in our backyard. We had a, what can only be described as, limeade green bucket, similar to the familiar orange Home Depot buckets, that sat outside our back door where all the food scraps went. In my memories, the lid was always cracked and really difficult to get off, especially with orange peels or wilted lettuce in one hand and trying to avoid getting gunk from previous deposits on the other hand. 

From there, the stinky goop would eventually be dumped into one of three compost bins that sat along our back fence. I am ashamed to say that the process from there was largely lost to me. I was vaguely aware that the compost needed to be turned at some point. I learned later in life when teaching the Waste and Our World unit to my grade 4s about the process of decomposition. I knew that the compost eventually had to be distributed and that there were many benefits of compost being added to your soil. But, I admit, I had to do a lot of research to find out exactly how to start my own compost bin. 

When we moved into our new home last July, I knew I wanted to have our own compost bin. Sure, I could use the aforementioned city-provided green bin, but there is something about composting that has been instilled in me for so long that it’s almost part of my nature. Each time I would throw a tissue or banana peel into the little green bin under my sink I would get this niggling in the back of my mind that that rotten strawberry could go on to do bigger and better things here in my own yard. 

So that’s what I set out to do. I employed my dear dad to make me a compost bin using scrap wood and set to work researching the ins and outs of making nutrient rich compost. Here’s what I discovered:

A compost bin made of scrap wood

Layer 1: Sticks and Twigs

The first order of business when starting a new compost pile is sticks and twigs. That worked out great for us, as we had an abundance from taming our hedges into a somewhat uniform shape and the trees on our front lawn from hanging over the sidewalk and taking out preoccupied cyclists. Branches allow for better airflow at the bottom of your compost pile. I cut my branches into 3-4 inch pieces. Smaller pieces decompose more quickly and I want to use this compost as soon as I can!

A layer of twigs cut into 3-4 inch pieces

Layer 2: Fresh Greens and Food Scraps

Next up is a layer of fresh grass clippings followed by scraps from our kitchen bin. This layer included a lot of orange peels and watermelon rinds. Like I did with the twigs, I made sure to break the watermelon pieces into smaller chunks so they would break down more quickly. 

A layer of grass clipping

A layer of food scraps

Layer 3: Paper 

We have had the misfortune to have endured a series of colds in our household lately so we used A LOT of tissue paper. We also use newspaper at the bottom of our in house compost bin to help absorb any juices that may accumulate. Thankfully, paper products make for a great compost material. So, next I added a layer of shredded tissue paper, paper towels and newspaper. 

A layer of paper products

Layer 4: Brown Material

Brown Material should make up a lot of your compost. I added a hefty layer of leaves that we had previously used as mulch to protect my perennials over the winter to the top of my compost pile. This layer helps keep the smell from the rotting food down. 

A layer of brown materials such as leaves

The Final Steps

Now that your compost bin is properly layered, the final steps are easy. Put a lid on that bin. A lid will help keep the heat inside the container which speeds up the composting process significantly. I also placed my compost bin in a spot where it will get a lot of late afternoon/evening sunshine so that should help things along too. 

A lid is also important for keeping neighborhood wildlife at bay. Birds, mice, and other vermin would love to have a root around in your stinky, warm compost bin. We have a skunk in our area that is looking for a new home so we don’t want to do anything to encourage him to settle in our yard. Keep out!

After a couple weeks, be sure to go in with a pitch fork or similar tool to either turn your compost or to poke some air holes in the pile. Introducing air into the pile allows oxygen to reach the microorganisms that are working within your pile and to achieve those higher temperatures to convert your organic matter into compost. 

A lid is important to keep the heat up and the pests away

Using Your Compost

Composting is a labor of love. It takes a little knowledge but loooooots of time and patience. If given the right conditions, your compost can be ready for use in your garden as early as 6 weeks. However, the longer you leave it to decompose, the more nutrient rich the resulting compost will be. 

Whenever you are ready to add that beautiful black gold to your garden beds or pots, go for it! Compost adds wonderful nutrients that your plants need to survive and thrive, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It’s the healthiest and most environmentally friendly way to get your plants in ship shape, especially if you grow produce for your family to consume.

I hope this article inspires you to go and make (or buy) that compost bin you have been dreaming of! Happy composting!

Photos in this article were taken by Heather Morren. Information was sourced from my personal experience and a wide variety of online resources. Please ask, should you wish to see a full list.