How to Compost at Home: A Simple Guide

Composting turns kitchen scraps and yard waste into the best soil amendment you can make, and it is simpler than most people think. A balanced pile does the work on its own.

The recipe is a mix of green materials for nitrogen and brown materials for carbon, kept moist and turned occasionally. Get the balance roughly right and the pile heats up and breaks down.

• Greens include scraps and grass, browns include leaves and paper
• Aim for roughly 2 parts brown to 1 part green
• Turn the pile every week or two to aerate it
• Finished compost takes about 3 to 6 months