How to Start Composting at Home for Beginners
Composting sounds complicated until you learn the one rule that makes it work: balance your greens and browns.
Get that ratio roughly right and a pile will break down with almost no effort. Here is how to start without overthinking it.
The golden ratio
- Greens: fruit and veg scraps, grass, coffee grounds
- Browns: dry leaves, cardboard, paper, straw
- Aim for two parts brown to one part green
- Add water so it feels like a damp sponge
Getting started
- Pick a corner of the yard or a balcony bin
- Layer greens and browns as you add them
- Turn the pile every week or two
- Harvest dark, crumbly compost in a few months
Keep a small countertop bin for scraps and empty it into the pile every couple of days to avoid smells.
Common beginner mistakes
Most failed compost piles come down to one of three easy-to-fix problems, so do not give up at the first smell.
- Too wet, add dry browns and turn
- Too dry, sprinkle water and mix
- Smelly, usually too many greens
Start small, learn as you go, and within a season you will be turning scraps into the richest soil your garden has seen.