Composting FAQ

There are 4 main components that lead to a successful compost system. Your compost pile should have adequate access to oxygen, which keeps decomposers alive and thriving.  It should also have a healthy balance “browns” and “greens.” 

“Browns” are sources of carbon such as branches, twigs, shredded paper, and dead leaves. This carbon gives decomposers energy for living. “Greens” are sources of nitrogen such as fruit scraps, grass clippings, and vegetable waste.  The nitrogen helps decomposers function. Depending on your compost system, you might even need to add a bit of water to your compost so that the soil feels moist like a wrung out sponge, but not soggy.

Basically, you are managing a good home for your decomposers. If they’re thriving, they’re decomposing the compost material at a good rate. If they lack something they need, they’ll slow down. In general, adding more  “browns” than “greens” in your compost pile will create the best conditions for decomposers and thus decomposition. You can often tell what your decomposers need by the state of your compost. If it’s slimy, add more browns (carbon). If it’s dry, add more greens (nitrogen). For best results, consider “lasagna-style” composting by covering each layer of green (nitrogen) inputs with a layer of brown (carbon).

There are several well known composting methods: 

• Open air composting consists of a compost pile of “greens” and “browns” in your backyard.
• Direct composting is burying your scraps into holes or trenches in the ground. This method generally takes a long time to decompose organic matter.
• Tumbler composting utilizes a container that you can rotate to turn and mix your compost, expediting the process.
• Worm farms (verm-composting) uses a container with soil, food scraps, and worms. It’s a good year-round project for basement composting.
• Your Earth Machine: a slow yet reliable composter, more information in your manual.

For more information on different composting methods, check out: https://directcompostsolutions.com/8-methods-composting/

Composting works in three stages. Visible decomposers like earthworms and roly-polies do their part, but there’s plenty of invisible work happening too. First, mix an apple core into your compost pile, and mesophilic microorganisms (microorganisms that live in temperatures of 68 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit) will begin to break it down. 

The second stage begins only after a couple of days. At this point, thermophilic microorganisms (microbes that live in very high temperatures) will start to decompose your apple core. This stage can last from days to months. During this stage, some compost piles can become so hot that the temperature can kill off beneficial microbes. To prevent this tragedy, you may want to turn your compost every couple of weeks. Turning the compost also introduces more oxygen into the compost, of great benefit to the decomposers.

During the third stage, thermophilic microbes have finished what they need from the organic material, and step back, so to speak. The compost pile begins to cool down, enabling the mesophilic microorganisms to have one more swing at it. This finishing process takes several months. 

You might not want to put the following into your compost:

• black walnut tree leaves or twigs because they may release chemicals that could harm plants
• diseased or insect-ridden plants because the diseases or insects may contaminate other plants
• chemically treated yard trimmings because it could kill organisms that help break down material in your compost
• pet wastes because they may contain harmful pathogens
• dairy products because they may attract pests
• fats, grease, lard, or oils because they may attract pests
• bones and scraps from meat because they may attract pests

Check out https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home for more information on what you should not add to your compost and why.

Consult your easy-to-read  Earth Machine manual or contact Boxerwood’s composting volunteer expert and Rockbridge Area Master Gardener, Phyllis Fevrier, at 540-460-9298 and leave a message. She will return your call. Other useful websites:

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home - government site

https://modernfarmer.com/2017/02/how-to-compost/ - commercial site

http://dpw.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Portals/19/pdfs/E-machine.pdf - 1-page tip sheet from municipality