Composting at Home

Composting at home is a simple way to turn food scraps and yard waste into rich, dark soil. Instead of throwing away banana peels, apple cores, and leaves, you add them to a compost bin. Over time, tiny living things break them down into compost. This compost helps gardens grow and keeps waste out of landfills.

How to Start

Starting a compost bin is easy. You need a mix of green materials like fruit scraps and grass clippings, and brown materials like dry leaves and cardboard. Layer them together and keep the pile moist. Turn it with a shovel every few weeks to add air. In a few months, you will have rich, crumbly compost.

What to Compost

Many things from your kitchen and yard can be composted. Fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea bags all work well. Leaves, grass clippings, and small twigs are great too. But do not add meat, dairy, or oily foods, because they can attract pests and create bad smells.

Fun Facts

• About 30 percent of household trash is food and yard waste that could be composted instead!
• Worm composting, called vermicomposting, uses special worms to break down food scraps super fast.
• Compost is sometimes called black gold by gardeners because it is so valuable for plants.

Did You Know?

A healthy compost pile can reach temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to kill weed seeds!