HOME and GARDEN Newcastle - How to Make Compost from Kitchen Waste
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1. Gather Kitchen Waste

Start by collecting your kitchen scraps. You can use items such as:

• Vegetable and fruit peels
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Tea bags
• Eggshells (crushed)
• Stale bread and grains

Avoid: Meat, dairy products, oily foods, and bones, as they can attract pests and produce foul odors.

2. Choose a Compost Bin

Select a compost bin or build a simple one in your backyard. You can use a compost tumbler, plastic bin, or an open pile. Ensure the bin has good airflow and drainage.

3. Layer Your Compost

Create alternating layers of "greens" (nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps) and "browns" (carbon-rich materials like dry leaves, shredded paper, and cardboard). This helps balance the compost and speed up decomposition.

4. Maintain Moisture and Aeration

Keep your compost pile moist, like a wrung-out sponge. If it's too dry, add water; if it's too wet, add more brown materials. Turn the compost regularly to provide oxygen, which speeds up the composting process.

5. Let It Decompose

Allow the compost to decompose over several weeks to months, depending on the temperature and the materials used. Turning the pile every few weeks accelerates the breakdown of organic material.

6. Use Your Finished Compost

Once the compost is dark, crumbly, and has an earthy smell, it's ready to use. You can mix it into garden soil, use it as mulch, or add it to your potted plants.

Tips for Success

• Chop kitchen waste into smaller pieces to speed up decomposition.
• Maintain a balance of 2/3 browns and 1/3 greens.
• Avoid adding diseased plants, as they could spread to your garden.

What NOT to Add to a Compost Bin

While composting is a great way to recycle organic materials, there are certain items you should avoid adding to your compost bin. These materials can either disrupt the composting process, attract pests, or introduce harmful pathogens.

Items to Avoid:

• Meat and Fish Scraps: These can attract pests like rats and produce unpleasant odors.
• Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products can also attract pests and create strong odors.
• Fats, Grease, and Oils: These materials don't break down well and can create a greasy layer that prevents proper aeration in the compost.
• Pet Waste: Feces from dogs, cats, and other carnivorous pets may contain harmful pathogens or parasites that are unsafe for composting.
• Diseased Plants: Adding diseased plants may introduce harmful bacteria or fungi into your compost, which could spread to your garden when used.
• Weeds with Seeds: Composting weeds that have gone to seed can result in the spread of weed seeds when the compost is used.
• Coal or Charcoal Ash: These materials can contain chemicals and heavy metals that are harmful to plants.
• Treated Wood or Sawdust: Wood treated with chemicals can release toxins that harm your compost and garden soil.
• Non-Biodegradable Materials: Avoid plastic, glass, metal, and synthetic fibers, as they do not break down in the compost.
• Large Branches or Thick Wood: These materials decompose very slowly and can disrupt the composting process.

Always avoid adding toxic, non-biodegradable, or pest-attracting materials to your compost to ensure a healthy, efficient process!

How Long Does It Take to Make Compost?

The time it takes to make compost can vary based on several factors, such as the materials used, the composting method, and how well the compost is maintained. Typically, composting can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Factors Affecting Composting Time:

• Materials Used: Soft, green materials (like fruit and vegetable scraps) decompose faster than harder, woody materials (like branches and sticks).
• Size of the Pieces: Smaller pieces of organic material break down more quickly. Shredding or chopping larger materials can speed up the process.
• Aeration: Regularly turning the compost pile introduces oxygen, which speeds up decomposition. A well-aerated pile will compost faster.
• Moisture: Keeping the compost pile moist, like a damp sponge, helps microorganisms break down the organic matter. Too much or too little moisture can slow down the process.
• Composting Method: Hot composting methods (where the pile heats up) can produce compost in as little as 2-3 months, while cold composting (less maintenance and turning) can take 6 months to 1 year.
• Climate: Warmer temperatures accelerate decomposition. In colder climates, composting can take longer.

Typical Composting Timeframes:

• Fast Composting (2-3 Months): This requires frequent turning, maintaining proper moisture, and ensuring a good balance of green and brown materials. This is often achieved through "hot composting."
• Moderate Composting (4-6 Months): With less frequent turning and more passive care, compost can still be produced in a reasonable amount of time.
• Slow Composting (6-12 Months): Cold composting, or compost piles with minimal maintenance, may take a year or more to fully decompose.

Once your compost has turned dark, crumbly, and has an earthy smell, it's ready to use!

What is Hot Composting?

Hot composting is an accelerated composting process where the compost pile reaches high temperatures, typically between 130°F and 160°F (54°C and 71°C). This method breaks down organic materials much faster than traditional or "cold" composting and can produce compost in as little as 2-3 months under optimal conditions.

How Hot Composting Works:

In hot composting, microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and other decomposers generate heat as they break down organic matter. By maintaining specific conditions, such as the right balance of materials, moisture, and oxygen, the pile heats up, accelerating decomposition.

Steps for Hot Composting:

• Balance Greens and Browns: Start by mixing nitrogen-rich "greens" (e.g., vegetable scraps, grass clippings) with carbon-rich "browns" (e.g., dry leaves, straw, paper) in a ratio of about 1:2 or 1:3.
• Build the Pile: Build your compost pile to at least 3 feet high and wide to ensure it retains heat. A large, compact pile will help maintain the high temperature necessary for hot composting.
• Maintain Moisture: The pile should feel like a damp sponge—not too wet, but moist enough to support microbial activity. Add water if the pile is dry, or add more brown materials if it becomes too wet.
• Turn Regularly: Turn the pile every few days or at least once a week. Turning adds oxygen to the mix, which is essential for maintaining the heat and keeping the process aerobic.
• Monitor Temperature: Use a compost thermometer to ensure the pile stays between 130°F and 160°F. If the temperature drops too low, it may be time to turn the pile again.

Benefits of Hot Composting:

• Faster Results: Compost can be ready in 2-3 months, compared to cold composting, which can take up to a year.
• Kills Pathogens and Weeds: The high temperatures can kill weed seeds, plant diseases, and harmful bacteria, producing cleaner compost.
• More Efficient Decomposition: Hot composting breaks down organic material more completely, resulting in nutrient-rich compost.

Hot composting requires more maintenance than cold composting, but it’s a great way to produce compost quickly and efficiently, while also reducing the risk of weeds or pathogens contaminating your compost.

Additives for Your Compost Bin

Adding certain additives to your compost bin can help speed up the decomposition process, balance nutrients, or improve the overall quality of your compost. Below are some common additives you can use to enhance your compost:

1. Compost Accelerators

Compost accelerators or starters are microbial supplements designed to boost the activity of beneficial bacteria and fungi in your compost. These can help speed up decomposition, especially in cooler temperatures or when your pile is slow to break down.

2. Garden Soil or Finished Compost

Adding a handful of garden soil or finished compost to your compost bin introduces beneficial microorganisms that aid the breakdown process. These additives act as natural compost starters by inoculating your compost pile with active decomposers.

3. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are an excellent nitrogen-rich "green" material that can boost the nutrient content of your compost. They also help maintain moisture levels and support microbial activity. However, be sure to balance with enough carbon-rich "brown" materials to avoid making your compost too acidic.

4. Crushed Eggshells

Crushed eggshells add calcium to your compost, which helps improve the structure of your compost and the health of your garden soil. Be sure to rinse and crush them before adding to speed up decomposition.

5. Manure

Manure from herbivores like cows, horses, rabbits, or chickens is rich in nitrogen and can be a powerful compost additive. It helps to boost microbial activity and adds essential nutrients to the compost. However, avoid adding pet waste (from dogs or cats), as it may contain harmful pathogens.

6. Wood Ash

Wood ash (from untreated wood) can be added in small amounts to raise the pH of your compost, making it less acidic. It also adds valuable potassium and other trace minerals to your compost. Be careful not to overdo it, as too much wood ash can make the compost too alkaline.

7. Sawdust or Shredded Paper

Sawdust (from untreated wood) and shredded paper are excellent carbon-rich "brown" materials that can balance the nitrogen-heavy green materials in your compost. However, these materials break down slowly, so be sure to mix them well into the pile and keep the compost moist.

8. Seaweed

If you have access to seaweed, it's a fantastic additive for compost. Seaweed is rich in trace minerals, helps maintain moisture, and contains plant growth hormones that can improve compost quality.

9. Bone Meal

Bone meal is a source of phosphorus, which promotes strong root growth in plants. Adding bone meal to your compost bin can help create nutrient-rich compost, though it should be used in moderation.

Using these additives in moderation can help enhance the quality and speed of your composting process, creating a richer, more nutritious end product for your garden!

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