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Composting is easy to do-
really it is fool-proof. Sure you can make some mistakes
that will create odor or make composting go really slow,
but you will still be composting. You can thank Mother
Nature and the fact that decomposition is a natural process
for that. But our goal is to make composting efficient
and easy for you.
If you would like to go
beyond the basics of composting and perhaps teach others
to compost too, please check out our Master
Mountain Composter program.
There are many ways to compost
but most of those methods can be divided into two groups:
backyard composting and vermicomposting (or composting with
worms). They are very different and many people will
practice both methods because of the different benefits
that each type offers.
Compost
Bins & Supplies
Find the bin that fits your
needs at a great price! Composting information and
workshops are also available. Email jen@highcountryconservation.org
for questions about composting and bins.
Choose from two styles:
 The
Super Composter
Great beginner compost bin for an affordable price. Bin
comes with an auto release locking top that allows you to
add food waste or mix without holding the lid. With doors
on all sides of the bin, it is easy to access finished compost
no matter where you put the bin. Bin also comes with a base.
Made of recycled plastic. $70 each.
459 liter (115 gallon)
Easy assembly, no tools
required
32.1"H x 32.9"W
x 32.9"D
 The
Compost Tumbler
A smart design and high-quality materials make this new
compost tumbler super effective and easy to use. Just fill
it up with garden refuse, slide the door closed and give
it a turn every couple days. The built-in hand-holds provide
easy leverage; a stabilizing inner crossbar helps breaks
up compost during turning; black color absorbs heat. $165
each.
Rodent-proof design
100% recycled black polypropylene
with a steel frame
Holds 6-1/2 cubic feet
(42 dry gallons)
31" L x 23" D
x 36" H overall
Summit County residents
can also purchase bins specially selected for our mountain
climate with a $15 discount at www.composters.com/summitcounty.
Compost
Worms - Red Wrigglers
 Start
your own red wriggler bin with this starter population of
compost worms. You can convert food scraps into nutrient-packed
compost with these red wriggler worms. They're fast, efficient
and odorless! Worms will digest chopped kitchen waste, leaving
rich casting behind. You can even feed them your used paper
napkins, paper towels, newspaper, paperboard, and blue jeans!
$35 for a starter batch. Includes information
on composting with worms.
• Starter population
multiplies to a peak population of 8,000 in a few months
• Each batch is around
1 to 1 1/4 pounds of worms (1,000 to 1,300 worms) in various
stages of growth
• Scientific name
of the worms is Eisenia foetida
We also sell
compost thermometers, screens, aerators, and counter-top
pails and crocks.
Order yours by calling 668-5703
or emailing jen@highcountryconservation.org
today!
Why
compost?
- It reduces the amount of waste headed
to our landfills
- It creates a highly fertile growing
medium for FREE
- Amending soil with compost reduces:
erosion, soil compaction, cracking & splattering,
and the need for water.
- Weed seeds and fly larvae are killed
through the composting process.
Backyard
Composting
Download
a pdf version of the below information.
Composting is as
easy as 1, 2, 3, 4.
1- Add “green
stuff”
2- Add “brown stuff”
3- Mix well4- Harvest and
Enjoy the benefits!
What is Green Stuff?
Fruit & veggie peels/cores;
rotten fruits, veggies & breads; coffee grounds &
tea bags (filters & bags included); egg shells; manure;
grass clippings; flowers; and more!
What is Brown Stuff?
Paperboard, dead leaves,
hay/straw, sawdust, dryer lint, hair, newspaper, unbleached
paper towels and more!
Never add:
Pet wastes, diseased plants,
noxious weeds, meat/bones, dairy products.
Mixing compost weekly
can produce finished compost in 2-3 months– not mixing
will cause composting to take up to 2 years, but both will
produce compost. Choose which best fits your lifestyle.
Keep in mind that kitchen scraps always need to be mixed
in (not just placed on the surface) or pests will be attracted.
Some helpful guidelines:
Provide air - make sure
that your bin is vented. Lack of air will cause decomposition
to be performed by anaerobic bacteria, which stink and decompose
waste very slowly. This is another reason to mix your
pile (it adds air pockets).
Check moisture levels -
Too much water will cause your compost to lose nutrients
and could create anaerobic conditions so the pile will stink
and work slowly. Too little water will cause the good
microorganisms to go dormant and decomposition will be very
slow. Your pile should be as moist as a wrung
out sponge– not dripping wet, but moist.
Proper pile size - The size
of the pile is very flexible. Generally the pile should
be between 3’x3’x3’ and 5’x5’x5’.
But there are ways around this. If the pile is less
than 3’ square it will be harder to reach the high
temperatures, so mixing becomes more important and the bin
should be insulated using foam board, straw bales, or some
other insulator. If a pile must be larger than 5’
square consider using a windrow system (a pile that is only
3’ tall and 3’ wide, but as long as you want),
start a 2nd pile, or plan to mix more often, which at more
than 5’ tall will be quite an undertaking.
Chop, Shred & Tear -
To increase the surface area available to microorganisms
chop up the items you place in the pile. Be sure to
not over do it– if everything is chopped up into very
tiny pieces it is hard to keep air pockets in the pile,
forcing the pile into stinky & slow anaerobic decomposition.
Pile Location - If possible
keep the pile out of direct sun and high winds, which will
dry it out. Keep it close to a water source for convenience.
Be sure that the area has good drainage (you don’t
want the pile to sit in standing water). Keep in mind:
Compost piles will break down wood and trees, do not
place it against a building or tree or over exposed tree
roots! Accelerators- Sometimes the microorganisms
in the pile may begin to die off, so from time to time add
some finished compost or soil from the garden. Retail
products marketed as ‘compost accelerators’
are typically not necessary.
Troubleshooting
Odor is the most obvious sign of trouble–
healthy piles should not have much of a smell at all,
when finished the compost should smell like fresh air after
a good rain. Undesirable smells and problems are typically
easy to fix.
Ammonia smell - the pile
is lacking in “brown stuff” so add some
Rotten eggs smell - either
the pile does not have enough air, has too much water, or
the wastes are not mixed in completely. All of these
causes can be taken care of by mixing the pile well.
Nothing is happening - the
pile is the wrong size, too wet, too dry, or is lacking
“green stuff.” The solutions are obvious
to each of these (see proper pile size above, dry it out,
wet it down or add “green stuff” respectively).
Composting is possible
in a high altitude, cold weather climate!
It may take a little longer,
but not much. A compost pile that freezes will begin
composting again upon thawing and typically will decompose
quickly, as the cells have been broken by ice crystals,
giving it a jump start on decomposition.
If you would rather keep
the pile active all winter, you can prevent freezing by:
- Insulate the sides of the bin with
straw bales or foam board
- Add a lid of plywood to keep the
snow off of the pile
- Stir it often during the cold months
(this will keep it hot)
- Add “hot” wastes, such
as: horse manure, fruit pulp (free at juice bars),
lobster/crab shells, and seaweed.
Vermicomposting
(or worm composting)
Download
a pdf version of the below information.
Benefits to worm composting:
- Worm composting is faster than backyard
composting and can work year-round with no changes
- Some consider worm castings (another
name for the compost they create) to be even more fertile
than typical backyard compost
- Worm bins can be kept in very small
spaces indoors, so people without yards can do it–
it is great for apartment/condo dwellers and classrooms!
- Compost tea (the liquid produced
during the process) is easy to “harvest”
from most worm bins and can be used on houseplants (or
any other plants) as a liquid fertilizer
- Kids love it!
- They are the easiest pets to care
for! You can go on vacation for 2 weeks without
getting a “worm sitter!” (If you are
leaving for a month or more, you will need to have someone
come and feed them every 2 weeks though.)
- Many people concerned about pests
getting into their outdoor bin like keeping the indoor
worm bin
- There is less maintenance involved– no mixing
needed!
 Not
just any worm can do the job!! Although most species
of worms will break down organics to some degree, red wigglers
(a.k.a. red worms or Eisenia fetida) are the best
for processing large amounts of organics quickly.
They also reproduce quickly and are tough enough to survive
minor temperature fluctuations.
Nightcrawlers are earthworkers,
meaning that they work deep underground on soil and are
not too interested in organics.
We recommend Happy D Ranch
(add link to www.happydranch.com)
for worm purchases! They offer great advice and prices.
Making It Happen
- Set up a bin
- There are many commercial worm bins available
(check out the resources below)
- Make your own out of wood or plastic. The
bin should be 12 to 15” tall and have a lid.
The size depends on the size of your household and
how much food waste you produce– the average
2 person household needs a bin that is about 4 square
feet. -A great option is to drill holes into
a lidded plastic bin (like a Rubbermaid container).
- Holes in the bin should be 1/4-1/2” in diameter.
Do not place holes in the bottom, lower 2”
and top 2” of the bin.
- Get bedding ready
- Bedding can be made from shredded newspaper, paper
towels (unbleached is best), or dead leaves.
- Wet the bedding so that it is as wet as a wrung
out sponge.
- Fill the bin with the bedding keeping it a few
inches short of the top.
- Add your worms!
- Add some food!
- Kitchen scraps (no meat,
bones or dairy please!) are a worm favorite.
- Harvest your castings!
- After about 3 to 5 months your bin will be full
of harvestable worm castings.
- Don’t feed your worms for 2 weeks or so,
then fill an old mesh bag (onion bags, etc) with
kitchen scraps and bury into the castings and bedding
in the bin. In a few days most of the worms
will have made their way into the bag. Remove
it momentarily as you empty out the castings from
the bin.
- Start the process outlined
above all over and empty the mesh bag’s contents
into the bin at step 3.
Other Resources for
Composting Information & Products
WormWoman.com www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/index.html the
late Mary Appelhof’s website, still maintained with
a wealth of information by her staff.
MasterComposter.com www.mastercomposter.com
a website with endless amounts of information on composting. |
