How To Make Compost at Home

Introduction

Composting comes with a lot of benefits. Obviously you get free fertilizer. But it's also a great way to get kids and adults interested in nature. Plus, it keeps food scraps out of the landfill, which reduces climate-changing greenhouse gasses.

It doesn't take that much effort or time commitment, and you can even do it inside in an apartment. But it does take a little planning to set yourself up for success, including choosing a good location in your yard and the right compost bin.

For that, you can DIY one out of materials like wood, cinder blocks or chicken wire. Or you can purchase one for outside or inside. There are electric models, and you can also compost with worms. Whichever you choose, consider having two, so one can be composting while the other is filling up.

I've created compost bins in a lot of environments. In places where it's warm and rainy, like Florida, composting is a quicker process. In the desert West, it takes more effort because the pile must be kept moist.

Here in Colorado, it takes longer, because cold whether inhibits the process. It's also tricker here because of bears. To keep them out of trouble, we've been sending our more enticing and fragrant food scraps to the community compost, instead of putting them in our home pile.

Wherever you live, here are a few easy steps to making your own compost at home.