Benefits
Where to Begin
Compost Materials
Do Not Put In...
Chop Up First?
Starter/Activator
Greens and Browns
Grass Clippings
Too Many Leaves
Pile Turning
Add Lime?
Winter
Compost Indoors?
When is it finished?
Using the Compost
Trouble Shooting
More Information

My neighbor told me that compost could help my garden. What are the benefits of using compost?
Compost is great for your garden. Plants love compost – here’s why:

• It increases the organic matter in soil and helps build sound root structure.

• It balances the pH of the soil.

• It makes nutrients in soil more readily available to plants.

• It attracts earthworms, considered the “earth’s greatest recyclers.”

• It makes clay soils airy so that they drain better.

• It improves the ability of sandy soils to hold moisture and resist erosion.

• It raises the vitamin and mineral content of food grown in compost-rich garden.

• It reduces reliance on petroleum-based fertilizers.

I want to begin composting at home, but I don’t know where to begin?
There are many different ways to make compost.   The following guidelines will get you started, but soon your own experience will help you tailor a method that best fits your needs.

1.  Build or purchase a compost bin.  The South Hadley DPW offers compost bins for $30 each; call ahead for supply availability. Compost bins are also available from garden catalogs, nurseries, and hardware stores.  Enclosed compost piles keep out pests, hold heat and moisture in, and have a neat appearance. Or, bins can be simply made of wire, wood, pallets, concrete blocks, and even garbage cans with drainage holes drilled in them.

2.  Set up the bin in a convenient, shady area with good drainage. A pile that is about three feet square and three feet high will help maintain the heat generated by the composting organisms throughout the winter.  Although a smaller pile may not retain heat, it will compost.

3.  Start the pile with a layer of coarse material such as corn stalks to build in air passages.  Add alternating layers of “brown” and “green” materials and mix them together.  Sprinkle with soil every 12 inches.   Be sure to bury food scraps in the center of the pile.   If you don’t have “brown” and “green” materials on hand at the same time, build your pile with “browns” and mix in “greens” as they become available.   Shred leaves or run over them with a lawn mower to shorten the composting time.   Save several bags of leaves to add in the spring and summer when “browns” are scarce.

4.  Add water as you build the pile if the materials are dry.   Keep the composting material damp or it will not decompose.

5.  As time goes on, keep oxygen available to the compost critters by fluffing the pile with a hoe or compost turning tool each time you add material.   A complete turning of the pile – so the top becomes the bottom – in spring and fall should result in finished compost within a year.   More frequent turning will shorten the composting time.

What materials can I place in my compost?
Yard wastes such as leaves, grass clippings and weeds make excellent compost.   All fruit and vegetable scraps, plus food wastes such as coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells can be composted.   To keep animals and odors out of your pile, do not add meat, bones, fatty food waste (such as cheese, grease, and oils), dog and cat litter, and diseased plants.

Are there any materials that I should not put in my compost bin?
For one reason or another the following items listed below should not be placed in your compost pile.   Most of these items can be disposed of in a plastic garbage bag at the curb on your trash day.   Please call the DPW for more information on the disposal of bulky woody waste.

Do I need to chop up the organic material first?
Chopping or shredding materials only speeds up the composting process and also makes the pile easier to turn.  A pile made from well-prepared materials will decompose faster and will be easier to turn.   To help out your compost, try the following:

• Chop up stalks, vines and large twigs.

• Chop up large amounts of straw or hay.

• Run lawnmower over leaves to reduce their size.

• Be sure litter is removed from yard waste.

I heard that my compost pile would not begin without commercial compost starter/compost activator? Is that true?
Not necessarily! Compost starters are not necessary for good composting.   Although these products generally contain dehydrated microorganisms, which your pile needs, these microorganisms can be added simply by throwing in a few handfuls of garden soil or finished compost.   Some compost starters also contain nitrogen, which you can provide by adding green materials to your compost pile.   Be sure to place some soil or finished compost in your compost bin when you begin your compost pile.

What’s all the talk about mixing “greens” and “browns” together?   What are they exactly?
Organic materials contain varying amounts of carbon and nitrogen, which nourish the organisms naturally present in your compost pile.   These critters need both carbon and nitrogen.   An easy way to provide both of these is to remember that brown woody materials, such as autumn leaves, are high in carbon, while green moist materials, such as grass lippings, are high in nitrogen.   Take a look at the table below.

What should I do with my grass clippings?
Leaving grass clippings right on the lawn is not harmful and will actually help keep your lawn healthy.   If you collect and compost grass clippings, be sure to mix them well with a bulky brown material to keep them from becoming compacted and smelly.  Call the DPW for more information.

For those folks that have already began composting…

I have too many leaves to fit in a compost bin.  What should I do?
Leaves decrease in volume substantially if they are shredded and/or wetted down.   Run the lawn mower over the leaves before adding them to the pile.   Or wet them down and put a tarp over them to keep them from blowing away.   Then add them to your compost bin through the next year to cover food waste or to provide brown material for you composting recipe.   Leaves and yard waste (not food waste) can easily be composted in a pile without using a bin.

When should I turn my pile?
Turning allows oxygen to flow throughout the pile and promotes aerobic decomposition.   Turn your pile whenever you add materials.   If your pile smells or is soggy, turn it a few times to get aerobic decomposition going again.   If the organic materials seem compacted, turn them to loosen things up.   If you do not turn your pile, the materials will break down more slowly and anaerobic decomposition may take place.

My friend adds lime to his pile. Is that needed?
Lime is sometimes used to adjust the acidity of soil.   It is not necessary to add lime to a compost pile and it may even cause problems in certain cases.   A compost pile made up of a variety of materials naturally goes from acidic to neutral as decomposition takes place.   An excess of lime in a pile can harm useful microorganisms and promote the loss of nitrogen.

I want to compost through the winter. How can I do that?
Although the process will slow down in colder weather, some bacterial activity will continue.   Food waste can still be added as long as it is covered each time with some extra leaves or straw.   You can further insulate your pile by covering it with thick, dark plastic.   It may be convenient to keep a container outside the back door and let food waste accumulate and freeze there and add the contents to your pile a few times during the winter.   Another option is to vermicompost food waste until spring.

Can I compost material indoors?
Vermicomposting is a fun and rewarding indoor composting method using worms.   It’s a good way to compost your food waste.   Vermicomposting is an option for people who do not have yards for yard waste composting, folks who want to actively compost throughout the winter and for those who may have animal problems caused by adding food waste to conventional outdoor compost piles.   Not only can you recycle your food scraps, you can also have a steady supply of fishing bait!

How do I know when my compost is “finished”?
Finished compost is a brown, crumbly, earthy-smelling, soil-like material.   It takes between six months and one year for a compost pile to yield a finished product depending on what is added and how much attention the pile is given.   You should not be able to recognize the waste materials that went into the compost pile.   For finer compost, screen it before use (compost screens can be made in many sizes). Undecomposed materials can be returned to the compost pile to break down further.

How do I use the compost?
When the composted materials look like rich, brown soil, it is ready to use! Here are some helpful hints:

• Apply one-half to three inches of finished compost and mix it in with the top four inches of soil about one month before planting. This will improve structure and nutrient content.

• Compost can be applied as a top dressing in the garden throughout the summer.

• Compost is excellent for reseeding lawns, and it can be spread one- quarter inch deep over the entire lawn to rejuvenate the turf. It can keep lawns green without much water.

• To make potting soil, mix equal parts compost, sand and loam.

• Apply compost around trees to feed the roots and reduce water needs.

Trouble Shooting?
Give your compost the squeeze test – composting materials should be about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Read below to troubleshoot your pile:  Is nothing happening with your compost pile? Do the Squeeze Test!

Is your pile smelly?   Do the Squeeze Test!

Where to Get More Information:
In cooperation with the Massachusetts DEP, the State of Connecticut has produced a video entitled Turning Your Spoils to Soil, which is available for renting at the South Hadley Main Library on Bardwell Street, or from the DPW. There is also composting information on DEP’s website at www.state.ma.us/dep.