Q&A for How to Compost

Consider setting up a worm bin. Worm bins use worms to turn food scraps into soil called vermicompost, and they're really good for apartments.

Look for an affordable private composting service as an alternate option. If you live in a place without a garden area, or if your city doesn't have a municipal composting service, there are many private organizations that provide composting as a service. They'll give you a bucket for compost and come to pick it up, and you get free compost anytime you need it!

Sunshine provides heat. This heat is needed to keep the composting process going.

Yes, unless it has a coating on it. Plain corrugated cardboard that has been shredded will usually biodegrade very quickly.

Grass clippings or leaves work well.

Yes, provided that there is no color print on it.

Moldy vegetables are fine. It sounds like your compost is perfect!

It depends on the weather conditions and the contents of your compost pile, but most well tended piles take about 2 to 3 months to become useful compost.

Yes, but I found that this attracts lots of ants and other bugs.

While pine needles are acidic when they fall off a tree, if they are added in moderation and completely composted, they won't hurt your compost. Keep in mind, however, that they can take a long time to completely biodegrade.

You can certainly compost the corn husks. Corn cobs can be composted as well, but you may need to break them into smaller parts to decompose.

Yes. Even the goats droppings can be used in a compost, as long as the goat eats ONLY vegetables.

Absolutely, although it might be worth checking to make sure it doesn't contain any plastic or non-compostable pieces.

A bad smell usually means you have too much moisture or not enough air circulation. Try adding dry materials, mixing the compost, and letting it dry out a bit.

No. While worms can help you make compost quicker, a compost pile without worms will still become compost.

Avoid putting any bleached paper into the ground; the bleach can soak into the ground and contaminate the soil. It would be better to just recycle it instead.

Yes. It can help keep the smell in the bin. You can find special compost lids online.

Materials that aren't see-through, like wood and plastic, are best. Translucent materials reflect light and can make the compost too hot.

Lime isn't necessary for most compost bins, and can result in a loss of nitrogen. However, if you have a compost bin with a lot of highly acidic materials, such as pine needles or fruit waste, add a small amount of lime (1 cup per 25 cubic feet of compost) to balance the pH.

Bones are not recommended simply because they take so long to decompose. You could use ground-up bones or bonemeal.

Yes, you can put anything organic into your compost - anything from the plant world that is or was alive.

Worms are a must for the decomposition from worm waste to soil matter. Aeration is key to a good compost so look for one that supports aeration. You also should determine what size compost bin would work best for you and your needs.

They can, but they will stay if the conditions are right.

Yes, shells from the beach can be used. However, you would need to crush the shells first by putting them in a plastic bag and beating them with a spoon.

It depends on the climate where you live. If the air is humid, you do not need shade to help retain moisture. However, if the air is dry, a lid or some shade might help.

A washer tumbler would be better, as it has the necessary holes to provide aeration.

The compost pile doesn't grow in size. As the compost material decomposes, the size of the compost pile will decrease by approximately 30% from its original size at the end of the composting process.

You can make a little fence around it, or you can make a lid to put on it and make sure the animals can't take off the lid.

Yes, but decomposition will be slow, and may stop at around freezing. You could warm the compost by covering it or surrounding it with straw bales.

No, plants contaminated with any sort of disease or fungus shouldn't be composted. Most fungi and disease can survive the composting process.