Composting Take 2

As noted in an article last year, we began composting our kitchen scraps and yard clippings but had only met with minimal success.  Subsequently, we decided to seek expert advice by attending a class led by a Master Composter.  Here's what we learned.  There are two main types of composting, vermicompost (worms) and yard composting (with or without bins).  Regardless of the type, composting is more an art than a science and requires one to pay attention to the state of the compost piles and adjust accordingly.

Vermicomposting:

You need the right kind of worms to do the job.  Red wrigglers are the preferred type of worms as they eat a large amounts of organic matter, live in shallow earth and reproduce quickly.  Worms can be purchased at a local bait store or online.  Earth worms from your yard will not work.

The worms need a place to stay.  You will likely want to purchase a worm composting box, although there are instructions on building your own as well.  Check with your city and county, as some local governments offer bins for free or at discounted prices.  Just like humans, the worms need to have a good working environment to be productive.  Cardboard or shredded newspaper can be used to provide comfortable bedding for the worms. The box should not be exposed to extreme temperature or harsh weather conditions.

Worms will generally do well with kitchen scraps such as fruits and vegetables.  Care should be taken to exclude dairy products, meat, oily and acidic foods.  Items cut into bite-size portions tend to accelerate the decomposition.  Any additions in excess amounts may upset the composting process.  Check in often to see how much progress the worms are making to determine if they may be overfed or underfed.

Yard Composting:

Like worm composting, you will need a compost bin if you wish to accelerate the composting process to accomodate a steady stream of kitchen scraps.  If slower decomposition is alright, such as for yard waste, you can simply create a pile of yard debris and stir it up occasionally to bring in more oxygen.  Many commercial compost bins are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, depending on your needs.  Check with your city and county to see if they offer free or discounted bins.  Also, refer to our prior article on purchasing a composting bin.

Your success in yard composting is highly dependent on the balance of what you put into the bin.  You will want a balance between nitrogen-rich green matter and and carbon-rich brown matter.  Green matter include grass clippings, fruits and vegetables.  Brown matter includes dried plants, branches, newspaper and dead leaves.  Please be aware that "green" and "brown" are not actual requirements for the color of the items.  For example, used tea and coffee would be considered green despite being brown in color.  As a general rule of thumb, you should start with a 50/50 split between greens and browns.  As with vermicomposting, avoid adding any animal products and otherwise highly acidic or oily items.

To accelerate the decomposition, you will want to break down large items into smaller pieces.  You should also monitor the progress to see if the bin needs more water or air.  If you think the composting process may have slowed or stopped, aerate the bin by turning the material inside, or turn the bin if using a tumbler bin and then turn some of the material inside.

We are adjusting our composting using these tips and hope that you find them useful.  Good luck with your composting adventures.