Composting:Composting:The Natural Way to Help Your Garden

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WhyWhy Composting?Composting?

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Yard Waste accounts for 20% of what goes in a landfill

In Illinois it is illegal to put yard waste into landfills

In McHenry County we have no landfills

Benefits of CompostingBenefits of Composting

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Healthy SoilAll soils benefit from organic matter

Healthy Plants

Less CostDon’t have to buy soil additivesUse the leaves instead of buying leaf bags

Easy and Convenient

Composting Basics: Composting Basics: How do I start?How do I start?

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Proper Location:Level, well drained location with half day sun

Proper Ingredients:A mix of “green” and “brown”

Adequate Aeration

Proper Moisture

Ingredients:Ingredients:

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Green (high in nitrogen)

Browns (high in carbon)

Do Not Use

Grass Clippings Leaves Bones

Prunings Bark Dog/cat feces

Fruits and vegetables Straw Oil

Houseplants Woodchips Grease

Manure: chicken, horse, pig, cow or rabbit

Sawdust fat

Kitchen scraps: of a vegetative origin

Newspaper (shredded)

Wood ash

Brush (chopped) Meat/fish scraps, dairy products

How to assemble the pileHow to assemble the pile

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Pick location

Pile should be roughly 3ftx3ftx3ft

Use 1 part green material to 3 parts brown material. Layer with soil or manure to provide beneficial microbes that start the process. Can also use commercial compost starters

Aerate the pile: Using coarse materials such as twigs, straw or wood chips will help to naturally aerate, but you will have to turn it or use a compost aerator. This should be done every couple of weeks

Water: Add enough water so that the pile is similar to a wet sponge. Too much water will inhibit the process so you may have to cover the pile

Make Your Own BinMake Your Own Bin

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Commercial CompostersCommercial Composters

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Batch composter

Continuous composting

Compost aerator

TroubleshootingTroubleshooting

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Problem Possible Cause SolutionFoul odor Excess moisture Turn pile or add dry

material such as straw

Compaction Turn the pile or decrease size

Ammonia odor Too much nitrogen Add high carbon (brown items)

Low temp Pile too small, too little moisture, poor aeration, cold weather

Enlarge pile, add water and turn, turn pile, increase pile size or insulate with straw

High temp Pile too large, too much nitrogen

Reduce pile size or turn, add high carbon (brown) material

Pests present Presence of meat scraps, or fatty food waste

Remove meat and fatty foods and cover with a layer of soil, switch to animal proof bin

Other Ways to “Compost”Other Ways to “Compost”

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•Leave grass clippings on lawn to decompose. Mow more frequently to leave short clippings

•Sheet Composting– rake leaves into perennial beds and leave to decompose naturally. Down side is composting in the soil takes nitrogen from the soil so make sure you fertilize regularly during the spring and summer

•Lasagna Gardening– on the ground or in a raised bed, layer newspaper, peat moss and organic matter. Use as many layers as you would like. Water thoroughly. Plant directly in the pile and then add a layer of mulch