Easy Composting: Methods & Myths

Learn about composting, including methods, benefits, and what materials to use, such as kitchen scraps and manure, to enrich your garden soil.

Composting is a key process that turns organic matter—like plants, leaves, stems, and kitchen scraps—into nutrient-rich material that’s great for gardens.

It all happens through decomposition, where microbes break down the large molecules into smaller ones. Eventually, these smaller molecules become nutrients that plants can easily absorb and use.

What is Composting?

Composting is the process of breaking down organic matter into smaller molecules, creating a nutrient-rich substance that’s perfect for gardening. This transformation happens mainly through chemical and biological actions, with microbes doing the heavy lifting. They break down materials like banana peels into valuable nutrients that plants can use to thrive.

When to Add Compost to the Garden

You can add compost to your garden at any time, making it a flexible and ongoing practice. Techniques like “cut and drop,” where you simply drop dead flowers or weeds directly onto the soil, can be very effective. 

Traditional compost is considered “finished” when you can no longer recognize the original materials, but it continues to decompose and enrich the soil for up to five years, depending on the climate.

Benefits of Compost in the Garden

Compost acts as a slow-release fertilizer, gradually providing nutrients as it breaks down. This steady nutrient release is great for maintaining long-term soil health and supporting plant growth over time. 

Additionally, using compost helps reduce waste by recycling organic materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly gardening practice.

Adding Manure to Compost

Manure is an excellent addition to compost because it’s packed with nitrogen. However, fresh manure can be a bit too strong and might burn plants, especially if it has urine in it.

The trick is to let the manure age or mix it with yard waste before using it. Different types of manure, like horse, rabbit, or chicken, need different aging times. 

For example, chicken manure needs to age longer than horse manure to be safe for composting.

The risk from pathogens is greatly reduced when manure is composted correctly. To ensure that pathogens have been killed, the compost pile must reach a high temperature (between 131°F and 140°F) for a sustained period of time (several weeks). The compost must also be turned regularly and carefully monitored so that all of the manure has been exposed to sufficient temperatures. 

Pathogens begin to die once incorporated into garden soil, and research has shown that incorporating manure at least 120 days before harvest greatly reduces risks of food borne illness.

University of New Hampshire

Understanding Herbicide Carryover in Horse Manure

I’ve been thinking a lot about herbicide carryover in manure, especially horse manure. It’s something that can sneak up on you if you’re not careful. Some herbicides can persist in the manure, even after it’s been digested and composted. This can cause issues if the manure comes from horses that were fed hay or straw treated with herbicides. 

Testing for Herbicides in Manure

To check if this might be a problem, I like to do a simple test: I plant seeds in a pot filled with the composted manure. If the seeds germinate but the plants end up with deformed leaves or poor growth, it’s a pretty good sign that herbicides are present.

It’s a handy way to avoid any unpleasant surprises in the garden!

Composting Sources: Animal Manure, Plant Material, and Kitchen Scraps

When it comes to composting, you can use animal manure, plant material, or kitchen scraps. All these sources break down into similar basic nutrients, but they have different nutrient levels, like nitrogen. The core composition stays almost the same no matter what you’re using.

Examples,

• Animal Manure: High in nitrogen, but nutrient levels vary.
• Plant Material: Includes leaves, stems, and other garden waste.
• Kitchen Scraps: Fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds, etc.

Choosing a Composting Method

Selecting the right composting method depends on how much space you have, how much time you can commit, and what compostable material you have on hand. 

For home gardeners with limited materials, smaller bins work great. If you’ve got more space and material, you might want to go for larger bins or piles. 

Vermicomposting is a fantastic option for handling kitchen scraps and works well in small spaces. It’s like having a little worm pet that helps with decomposition!

What Is Vermicomposting?

Vermicomposting uses worms to break down organic waste. The worms don’t directly compost the material but help by grinding it up and mixing it with bacteria, speeding up the process. 

It’s perfect for small spaces and kitchen scraps, and you can even do it indoors, making it a year-round option, especially in colder climates. Just remember, it requires a bit of regular care and attention.

The Chop-and-Drop Composting Method

The chop-and-drop method is simple and effective. You just chop garden waste into smaller pieces and drop it right back onto the soil. The smaller the pieces, the faster they decompose. You can use this method with most garden plants, even toxic ones like rhubarb leaves, because the toxins break down over time. It’s a great way to recycle nutrients and create a natural mulch.

Amount of Compost to Add to Garden Beds

Generally, adding one to two inches of compost to garden beds is a good rule of thumb. Adding too much can lead to nutrient imbalances, especially with phosphorus. 

It’s important to be mindful of how much compost you’re using, particularly if you’ve been adding it for several years, as it continues to break down and release nutrients over time.

Learn more about filling raised beds here, How to Fill Raised Garden Beds.

Using Wood Chips in Compost or as Mulch

Wood chips are high in carbon and low in nitrogen, so they decompose slowly. If you mix them into the soil, they can compete with plants for nitrogen, which is essential for growth. 

It’s better to use wood chips as mulch in walkways but not in your garden beds.

Brown vs. Green Material in Composting

In composting, “browns” refer to carbon-rich materials like dry leaves, straw, and wood chips, while “greens” are nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps and fresh plant material.

A balanced ratio of about 25:1 carbon to nitrogen is key for effective composting. Too many browns can slow down the process, while too many greens can make the compost too wet and smelly.

Coffee Grounds in Compost

Coffee grounds are a great addition to compost because they have a balanced carbon and nitrogen content. However, their caffeine content can be toxic to seedlings. 

So, it’s best not to use coffee grounds directly as mulch where you’re planting seeds. Compost them first for the best results.

Understanding Natural Products in Gardening

It’s important to remember that natural products aren’t always completely safe or chemical-free. For instance, coffee grounds, while natural, contain caffeine that can harm seedlings. Understanding the properties of natural products and using them responsibly in the garden is crucial.

Composting Myths and Methods

This article was inspired by an interview that I hosted on Audrey’s Little Farm Show! If you’ve ever been confused by the topic of composting, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.

Our guest expert was Robert Pavlis. Robert is an incredible gardener with over 40 years of experience, has written multiple books, runs two garden blogs, and is the head gardener at Aspen Grove Gardens, a six-acre botanical garden in Canada.

Check out Robert’s book here, Compost Science for Beginner’s and watch our interview below.

EASY Composting Methods & MYTHS with Robert Pavlis