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What Composting Is

What is Compost?

Compost is the result of the natural decomposition of organic materials like food scraps, yard waste, and other biodegradable matter. When these materials break down, they form a nutrient-rich soil amendment that can be used to improve the health of your garden. Composting is an environmentally friendly way to recycle organic waste, reducing the amount of trash that ends up in landfills and returning valuable nutrients to the earth.

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Benefits of Composting

  1. Enriches Soil: Compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration, increasing its water-holding capacity. It provides essential nutrients that plants need to thrive, leading to healthier, more productive gardens.

  2. Reduces Waste: Composting diverts a significant portion of household waste from landfills, reducing the burden on waste management systems and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organic matter.

  3. Encourages Beneficial Microorganisms: The organic matter in compost supports a thriving community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and earthworms, which help break down nutrients in the soil and make them available to plants.

  4. Cost-Effective: By composting at home, you create a free source of rich soil amendment, reducing the need to purchase commercial fertilizers and soil conditioners.

  5. Reduces Environmental Impact: Composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, which can be harmful to the environment. It also lowers methane emissions from landfills, contributing to the fight against climate change.​

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Below is an image of one of our very own compost bins.

What is Allowed or Not Allowed in Compost?

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How Do You Compost?

Browns and Greens?

Greens are nitrogen-rich materials, including food waste, that provide nutrients for the compost. Browns are carbon-rich materials, including dead leaves and shredded cardboard, that facilitates healthy decomposition. The graphic above outlines a list of acceptable greens and browns, as well as examples of materials that should not go inside a composting bin. However, some materials, like meat and waste, can be processed in industrial composting sites.  â€‹

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The ideal Brown to Green ratio is 2 to 3 parts browns to 1 part greens. This allows for a healthy, productive compost that breaks down efficiently and benefits your garden. If your pile is too high in browns, decomposition will slow down while if it’s too high in greens, it might become smelly. We at ComposTogether generally manage a ratio of 2 parts brown to 1 part greens.

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Any Other Materials?

It is also necessary to allow for air to flow throughout the pile to facilitate aerobic decomposition, which is healthy for the compost, rather than anaerobic decomposition, which could cause problems. This can be done by making sure the compost is in a container with air holes or turning the pile. 

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Water can be added if the pile is too dry, which facilitates decomposition. Putting the compost bin under the sunlight would also hasten the composting process. 

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Some composters also like to add organic decomposers, such as worms, into the pile to accelerate the process. We at ComposTogether do not add any worms or bugs but these organisms generally find their way into the pile. 

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During active decomposition, the pile may reach temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit and you may even see steam if you dig down the pile. The temperature depends on the size of the pile but for us our pile (4 feet x 4 feet x 4 feet) can reach temperatures up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 

When Does It End?

When the temperature of the pile starts to decrease, it is a sign that the pile needs to go into its curing stage. The curing phase is when no additional food waste is added into the compost and the pile is allows to finish decomposing and mature. This can be done by taking it out of the composting bin and making a small windrow pile for air to better penetrate the pile. After a few months, the pile should resonate fine dirt and after taking out bigger materials that take a longer time to compost, the compost is finished.

Additional Resources

For more information, check out these links from sources such as the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Bergen County Utility Authority, and the EPA:

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