I love composting! I’ve been doing it for the past 15 years. The fourth graders at my kid’s school have crowned me the Compost Queen. I share with them the benefits of composting and how important it is for the health of their school garden. They are always awed by how good the compost smells and they love picking up the wiggly worms. Here are some of the benefits:

1. I use it in my garden. The finished “black gold” is organic and rich in nutrients and worms. How can that be bad?
2. Less trash. When you compost, it significantly reduces the amount of trash that your family generates. Less trash in the bin, means less trash in a landfill.
3. Less guilt. Who doesn’t have some produce rotting somewhere in the refrigerator? I feel a little less guilty throwing out liquified arugula if it’s going into the compost.

Getting started. The biggest question I’m asked is, “how do I get started?” It’s pretty easy and doesn’t require much except a little patience and time. If you follow these steps, you’ll be on your way to successful composting.

1. Get a bin or two. Many cities have composting facilities that are open to the public. In Los Angeles, you can go to a free workshop and buy compost bins for a reduced price through LA Sanitation, that’s how I got started. I live in the canyon and there are lots of critters; gophers, moles, raccoons and rats. I need to have a closed system which includes laying gopher wire at the bottom of the bin to avoid an all you can eat buffet and critter hangout. You can also build your own bin, there are many resources for this online.
2. Find a sunny location and set up your compost. Heat is what gets your compost “cooking.”
3. Tools. You’ll need a shovel and a pitchfork. Don’t bother getting one of those composter turner things.
4. Get a small indoor container or composting receptacle that can live on your counter top. I believe  “when you see it, you use it”. Also, tell all your family members and get them on board.
5. Next, clean out your refrigerator. Sadly, I seem to find myself, more often than not, with rotten scallions or carrots that have sprouted or are inedible. Dump those items into your new indoor compost receptacle. Many sites suggest you cut your vegetable matter into small pieces before you put them in your indoor bin. I don’t do this until later.
6. Gather a bunch of leaves and store them in a garbage can next to your compost bin. Sycamore, oak and maple leaves are best. If you don’t have trees, walk around your neighborhood ask a neighbor if you can have some raked up leaves or lawn clippings. You’ll use these to layer each time you add more wet or green material. If you have them handy and close by, you’ll also avoid problems like fruit fly “bloom.”
7. Once your indoor receptacle is full, take it out back and let’s start composting!!

While I don’t chop the vegetables in the kitchen, it’s very import that you chop them up. Here I am using my shovel to break up the larger pieces in the bin. Doing this allows for worms and bacteria to decompose the scraps faster.

Balance. For the fourth graders we use the acronym FWARP – Food, Water, Air, Reproduction, Protection.  For a successful compost pile you need the balance of Food –  wet and dry materials (kitchen scraps, dry leaves, lawn clippings etc.) Water – moisture from the wet materials as well as fresh water, Air – oxygen circulating through the pile, Reproduction – worms and beneficial bacteria, Protection – an undisturbed location where your compost can do its thing. When all these elements are in harmony, composting is smooth sailing. If there’s a problem it can generally means one of FWARP elements are out of balance.

1. Begin by putting a layer of dry leaves, hay or any other dry materials at the bottom of your bin.
2. Dump your wet vegetable scraps.
3. Chop the scraps up with your shovel. I find this easier to do now than when I’m making dinner.
4. Layer with your second pile of leaves.
5. Water your compost pile. Not too much though. You want your compost to have the moistness of a wrung out sponge.
6. Repeat.
7. After you’ve layered three or four times alternating between dry leaves and kitchen scraps, you can start turning the pile now each you add a new load of green material or kitchen scraps.
8. Turning your pile. Dig a little hole in the pile and place your kitchen scraps in the hole. Carefully use your shovel to chop up the bigger pieces taking care not to harm the worms that have taken up residence. Cover up your fresh additions with compost from the bin. At this point you don’t need to add as much dry material to the pile when you add your kitchen scraps.

Worms busy with the vegetable scraps!

Keep filling your bin until it’s about 2/3-3/4 full. At this point I move on over to my second bin and repeat the whole process. It me takes about six to eight months to fill each bin up, but this may vary depending on how many people are in your household and where you live. Once you’ve moved over to your second bin, let the first bin mellow and your compost will be ready to use in no time. Obviously, the breakdown process is quicker in the summer and slower in the winter.

Troubleshooting – The biggest reasons I hear why people stop composting are fruit fly “bloom,” ants, rotting smell and critters. Here are a couple of suggestions for common problems. Remember the key is bringing your compost pile back into a good equilibrium.

1. Fruit Fly “Bloom” –  While this isn’t technically a problem, it can be annoying and make it rather unpleasant when you open your bin and are swarmed with a million fruit flies. This happens because there’s too much wet compost exposed. Easy fix. Put thick layer of dry leaves on top. If the problem persists take a layer of newspaper or brown paper bags and cover your compost. Make sure not to dump fresh greens on top the next time you put your greens in.
2. Ants – equally not a problem but another nuisance when a colony decides to take up residence. This happens when your pile isn’t getting turned enough. Turn your pile, water it. Check it in a couple of days. Turn the pile again. The goal is to make the compost bin inhospitable to the ant colony.
3. Smelly compost – Your compost should smell like fresh moist dirt. Composting is decomposing, which isn’t the same as rotting. Rotting means that there isn’t enough oxygen circulating throughout your pile. What you need to do is turn your pile with a pitchfork and add more dry leaves. Make sure that your last layer on top is dry leaves or the next time you visit your compost pile you might find you’re faced with Fruit Fly “Bloom.”
4. Critters getting in – If you lined the bottom of your compost with gopher wire, you’ve eliminated the problem before it even started and this is a non-issue!!

Composting is trial and error. I usually have one of the first three problems at least once or twice a year. Bringing your pile back into balance and you too are on your way to compost black gold.

What to Compost
Fresh grass and lawn clippings (provided that you don’t use pesticides)
Hay
Fruit and vegetable peels, rinds and scraps
Tea bags
Coffee grounds
Eggshells
Leaves
Garden waste
Weeds that have not seeded
Wood chips and sawdust (from untreated wood)
Unbleached Shredded paper or papertowels

What NOT to Compost
Chemically treated wood
Diseased plants
Human waste
Pet waste
Pernicious weeds
Meat
Dairy products
Animal food products
Animal bones
Fats and oils
Cooked food
Peanut butter
Lime
Glossy paper
Paper with colored ink
Large chunks of compostable materials

Good luck and if you have any questions or problems, you can email me fabienne at heysistah dot com 🙂