How to Create Your Own Compost

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Disclaimer: This is a contributed post.

Photo credit: Climatelab.org

Compost can be created easily and even passively from home. It is a natural process of organic material breaking down and creating usable mulch which is rich in nutrients and minerals. Many people still go out and buy compost though, simply because they do not even contemplate making their own. It helps save you money and it also helps the environment a great deal. The amount of carbon emissions created by transporting domestic waste to landfill is huge. If you can create something new and useful from your waste, instead of sending it to landfill, that can only be a good thing.

There are three main ways that you can create your own compost from home. They are:

  • Passive decomposition
  • Cold decomposition
  • Hot decomposition

Passive composting is basically what the title indicates; leaving the organic matter to decompose passively. Most people will have a composting bin in their garden to do this. They place in any material that has nutritional value that will decompose. This includes grass clippings, leaves, food waste, animal waste and basically anything else you can think of that will quickly break down. Compost needs some structure as well so turning it to let air in and adding twigs/bracken will give it more structure and strength. Composting passively is slow but effective; you will usually have usable compost within 1-2 years of starting. This may seem like a long wait, but just think about the amount of waste you are saving from landfill at the same time.

Cold composting is basically the next step up from passive composting. It involves using a structured mixture of dry dead material referred to as a brown layer and fresh organic material known as a green layer. Depending on the results you want, you should start off with a shallow brown layer and then begin adding green waste on top as and when you get it. After your pile has grown to a size you are happy with, add some more brown waste on top. Then mix the pile by turning and combining the layers. This should create a good control for the moisture of the compost and allow for better structure to the decomposition.

Finally there is hot composting. Hot composts are made in a similar but more attentive manner than cold composting. The pile is turned and aerated every 2-3 days; this means that the matter is broken down a lot quicker. In a hot climate the finished compost can be ready in as little as three weeks. However, even in cold countries, the process of hot composting can really speed things up.

Disclaimer: This is a contributed post.

Peter McAllister works at SGM, a gardening and groundcare company that sells items such as Ride on Mowers.

Sarah UmmYousef

Sarah UmmYousef is a former school teacher turned stay-at-home wife and mama with a passion for all things simple, natural, and homemade. She loves the natural world, and believes the solutions to many of the world’s ailments lie in nature. Her blog, , began as a way to document her family’s journey to a greener home, but has since become a thriving community and resource for those wishing to take small steps towards a more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

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