Tips and tricks

To Start Your Own Compost Garden

Composting is not only good for the environment, it’s a great way to ensure sustainable practices when it comes to food waste.

Forest Abbott-Lum (MEM ’21), composter in residence at the Yale Sustainable Food Program, describes composting as “the managed process of decomposition.” Composting can help reduce the amount of waste we produce, and even save money! Here are some steps you can follow to get started:

2. Collect

1. Find your place

Find a place to store your compost. The best place to store your compost is outdoors in a bin or a pile in an area that won’t get in the way of other activities. It's also important to ensure your compost isn't in direct sunlight and that there is sufficient air circulation to ensure the composting process is efficient.

5. Air

Stir the compost. To ensure air is reaching all the layers of the compost, give it a good stir every couple of weeks with a pitchfork. This will help speed up the composting process.

Collect your organic material. Start by gathering organic materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, grass clippings, eggshells, and coffee grounds. This can be saved in a bin in the kitchen until you’re ready to add it to the compost. It's also a good idea to shred or cut larger pieces into smaller pieces so they can break down faster.

4. Moisture

Add water. After you have collected the organic material and created a balance of green and brown materials, it is important to keep the compost moist. Sprinkle some water over the compost every week or two.

6. Crumble it

3. Green vs Brown

Balance your green and brown materials. Compost needs a balance of carbon-rich materials, called browns, and nitrogen-rich materials, known as greens. Brown materials include dry leaves, straw, and shredded paper. Green materials include fresh leaves, vegetable and fruit scraps, and grass clippings. A good ratio to remember is 2:1 (two parts browns to one part greens).

6. Harvest your compost. Your compost will be ready to use in 3-6 months, depending on the size of your pile and the conditions in which it is stored. To check if the compost is ready, simply take a handful and try to crumble it. If it's ready, the compost will be dark and crumbly. If it is not quite ready, you may need to stir and water it some more.