Create Nutrient-Rich Compost for Your Garden: 15 Tips for Successful Composting

We often talk about composting, but how do we actually do it? Is it as simple as throwing your fruit and veggie scraps onto a pile? Well, when I started to look into it, I realised that there’s a bit more to it than that!

If you want to grow your own veggies or edible flowers, then composting is a simple way to reduce food waste and produce nutrient-rich soil for your garden.

By adding organic matter to your compost pile, you can create compost that enriches the soil with nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.

But first, let’s talk a bit of terminology. You may have heard the term ’Browns and greens’. It refers to the two categories of organic matter that you can use to make compost. Browns generally refer to materials that are high in carbon and provide structure to the compost pile. They include things like dry leaves, wood chips or sawdust, straw, small twigs, and paper materials such as shredded newspaper or cardboard.

Greens, on the other hand, are high in nitrogen and provide a source of protein for the microorganisms that break down the organic matter in the compost pile. Examples of greens include grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and filters, tea leaves, and manure (from herbivores).

It's important to balance the ratio of browns and greens in your compost pile, with a recommended ratio of 3:1 browns to greens. The browns provide structure, while the greens provide food for the organisms that break down the organic matter. A balance of these two categories helps to create a healthy compost pile that will break down quickly and efficiently.

So now that’s clear, here are 15 tips to help you create the best possible compost for your garden, plus some common problems and how to fix them.

1. Choose the Right Location

The first step in successful composting is to choose the right location. Pick a spot with adequate drainage, away from your home, your neighbours’ buildings (let’s not be anti-social!) and wetlands, and with plenty of sunlight. This will help your compost pile to break down more quickly.

2. Layer Your Materials

Layering is an essential part of the composting process. Browns, such as dry leaves, straw, and wood chips, provide structure, while greens, such as vegetable and fruit scraps, provide nutrients. Layer these materials in a ratio of 3:1 (browns to greens) to create the perfect balance.

3. Add Moisture

Your compost pile should be moist, but not too wet. Add water as you layer your materials or use a hose to keep the pile moist. If the pile is too dry, it will slow down the decomposition process.

4. Turn Your Pile

Turning your compost pile helps to aerate it, allowing for faster decomposition. Use a pitchfork or shovel to bring the outer layers to the centre and vice versa. This distributes the materials more evenly and helps the pile to decompose more quickly.

5. Check for Readiness

Your compost is ready to use when it looks like dark, rich soil – like chocolate cake crumbs. Test it by rubbing a bit of the compost between your fingers. If it crumbles and has a pleasant earthy smell, it's ready to use.

6. Put Compost to Use

Using your compost is an essential step. It's an incredibly beneficial addition to your garden soil, providing a rich source of nutrients for your plants, veggies and edible flowers. Add it to your soil to boost the nutrient content, or use it for potting plants.

7. Chop Food Scraps

Chopping your food scraps into smaller pieces can help to speed up the decomposition process. Smaller pieces break down more quickly and provide nutrients to your compost pile.

8. Avoid Weeds and Disease

Avoid adding weeds or disease plant materials to your compost pile, as they may spread in your garden. Be mindful of the materials you add to your compost pile and avoid materials from diseased plants or weeds.

9. Use Paper Materials

Consider using cardboard, biodegradable paper, or office paper as brown materials if you don't have enough leaves or straw. These materials provide the structure of the compost pile and can be used in place of other brown materials.

10. Use a Compost Tumbler

A compost tumbler is an excellent way to create compost quickly and with less effort. It's a self-contained unit that makes turning more manageable and keeps the compost contained and neat.

11. Add Eggshells If You Have Them

Adding eggshells, if you have them, to your compost pile is an easy way to add calcium to your soil. Crush the shells and add them to your greens in the compost pile.

12. Store Unused Compost

Store your unused compost in a covered bin to prevent exposure to the elements. This way, it will stay moist and decompose more slowly until you're ready to use it.

13. Avoid Meat, Dairy, and Oily Foods

Meat, dairy, and oily foods can attract pests and create an unpleasant odour in your compost pile.  Avoid adding these foods to your compost pile to keep it healthy and clean.

14. Monitor Temperature

Use a compost thermometer to monitor the temperature of your compost pile. The optimal temperature range is between 140°F and 160°F (60°C and 71°C).

15. Maintain the 3:1 Ratio

Maintain the 3:1 ratio of browns to greens in your compost pile. This will help to create nutrient-dense soil that can provide your plants with the essential nutrients they need to grow.

Trouble-shooting

Here are some issues that you may encounter when creating compost and how you can fix them:

1. Compost is Too Dry

If your compost is too dry, the decomposition process will slow down. Add some water to the compost pile, but be careful not to add too much. Aim for a moist, but not waterlogged, compost pile.

2. Compost is Too Wet

If your compost is too wet, the organic matter will break down slowly or not at all, and it will be pretty smelly. Hence why it is important to keep this away from your home and your neighbours. To fix this, add a dry brown material such as straw, wood chips or sawdust to the compost pile that can absorb the excess water. Mix the pile so that the brown material is well distributed.

3. Compost Has a Bad Smell

If your compost smells bad, it's probably too wet or has too many greens. To fix this, add brown materials like shredded leaves, dried grass, sawdust or wood chips to absorb the excess moisture and balance the greens in the pile.

4. Compost is Not Breaking Down Fast Enough

If your compost is not breaking down fast enough, it may be due to a lack of oxygen, insufficient moisture, or an inadequate balance of browns and greens. To fix this, mix up the compost pile to provide more oxygen, add more water to the pile if it is too dry, and adjust the ratio of browns to greens (aim for a 3:1 ratio).

 5. Compost is Attracting Pests

If your compost pile is attracting pests, avoid adding meats, dairy products, or oils. These materials can attract pests like rats, mice and foxes (in the UK, probably larger creatures elsewhere). It's also a good idea to keep the compost pile covered or fenced to protect it from scavengers. If flies are a problem, mix up the pile to discourage egg-laying.

By following these tips, you can overcome any troubleshooting issues you may encounter when creating compost. Remember that composting is an ongoing process, so be patient and keep experimenting with the ratio of browns to greens and the moisture level until you find what works best for your own compost pile.

Composting is an easy and eco-friendly way to reduce food waste and produce nutrient-rich soil for your garden. By following these 15 tips, you can create a healthy and thriving compost pile that will benefit your garden for years to come. Take time to set up your compost pile right, and it will pay dividends in the health and growth of your plants – and help you put any fruit and veggie scraps to good use.

Do you have any composting tips? Please share them with us.