October is the perfect time to start a compost pile: Here's how

Some gardeners have asked if composting garden, yard and food waste is sustainable or beneficial to the environment since the composting process generates lots of carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide released during the composting process is biogenic, which means that it happens through natural biological systems, not from man-made or anthropogenic systems.

While the composting process produces carbon dioxide, dumping organic garden, yard, and food wastes in a landfill generates larger amounts of methane, another greenhouse gas. This happens because the decomposition process in a landfill is anerobic, or without oxygen.

Curbside disposal of organic garden, yard and food waste so that it can be composted in a municipal or commercial composting system is more sustainable than dumping these items in a landfill, but these operations produce greenhouse gases from the emissions of trucks and equipment used to collect, transport and process organic waste and compost.

Recycling organic garden, yard and food waste at home is often the most climate-friendly approach to handling this type of waste. October can be the perfect time to start a compost pile when you are cleaning up the garden and removing leaves from the lawn.

What is compost?

Compost is a valuable soil-like substance produced by the controlled decomposition of organic materials. Amending your soil with compost will add a small amount of nutrients to the soil and, more importantly, will add organic matter to your soil. Increasing the amount of organic matter of your soil will improve the soil by providing energy, nutrients, soil structure and a habitat for earthworms, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms, which is critical to maintaining soil ecology.

Adding compost to the soil will also improve aeration in heavier clay soils, which will allow plant roots to penetrate the soil and allow excess water to drain. When added to lighter sandy soils, compost will improve the water-holding capacity of the soil, which will make more water available for plant roots to absorb.

What can be composted?

While nearly all organic materials can be composted, there are certain materials that are more easily composted and other materials that should be excluded from the compost pile.

Some of the more common organic materials available for homeowners and gardeners to compost include grass clippings, leaves, plant and tree trimmings, fruit and vegetable food wastes, wood chips, straw, coffee grounds and tea bags, sawdust, eggshells, and even this newspaper you are reading!

Organic items such as diseased plant material, pet or human waste, meat and bone scraps, and food waste that contains fat or oil such as cheese, mayonnaise, and salad dressings, should not be added to the compost pile as they can cause odors and attract animals.

Compost by color

Active decomposition of the compost pile will require the proper ratio of carbon to nitrogen of about 30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen. To achieve this ratio, a mix of green and brown materials should be added to the compost pile and mixed intermittently. Green materials contain more nitrogen than carbon, and include items such as grass clippings, fruit and vegetable wastes, and plant trimmings. Brown materials such as dry fallen leaves, straw, wood chips, paper products and tree trimmings contain much higher amounts of carbon than nitrogen.

Starting the pile

Locate your compost pile in a level area that has good drainage, adequate air flow, a fair amount of sun, and is close to the materials you plan to add to the pile. Composting can be done in an open, uncontained pile, or in bins made of woven wire fencing, snow fencing or even wooden shipping pallets. The ideal size of a compost bin is approximately 3 feet tall, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep.

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To start the pile, create a base layer on bare soil with 6-12 inches of wood chips or chopped tree branches, then add alternating 6-inch layers of damp green materials such as grass clippings and food waste with 6-inch layers of dry brown materials such as fallen leaves, straw, wood chips or shredded newspaper. Sprinkle a small amount of garden soil or lawn fertilizer between layers to speed the decomposition process. Water the completed pile lightly to the consistency of a damp sponge.

Managing the compost pile

After the pile has been in place for 1-2 weeks, turn the pile with a pitchfork or shovel and mix it well. Turning the pile at 2-to-3-week intervals will help speed the decomposition process and allow the temperature in the center of the pile to reach a temperature between 140 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a sign that microorganisms are actively decomposing the organic materials. If the weather remains dry for an extended period, add a small amount of water to the pile when turning to keep it moist.

Typically, it takes three to four months for a compost pile to completely decompose. When the compost is dark, crumbles in your hand, and is uniform in texture, it is ready to add to the garden or lawn.

Additional information on home composting can be found online at: go.osu.edu/compostingathome.

Mike Hogan is an Extension educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension. hogan.1@osu.edu