How do I set up composting at home if I've never done it before?
Composting is one of the simplest, most rewarding things a homeowner can do to reduce waste, enrich their garden, and lower their environmental footprint. If the idea of turning kitchen scraps, garden clippings, and other organic waste into nutrient-rich soil sounds appealing — but you’ve never started composting before — this guide is made for you.
Live Green is here to demystify home composting and walk through all the practical steps to get started, no matter your garden size or prior experience. In just a few steps, you’ll be transforming waste into “black gold” that feeds your plants, reduces landfill waste, and helps the planet.
Why Compost at Home?
Home composting is a natural process that turns organic waste into rich humus, a living, fertile soil additive. The benefits include:
Waste Reduction: Around 30% of household waste is compostable. Composting cuts down what goes to landfill, reducing methane emissions.
Garden Health: Homemade compost improves soil structure, moisture retention, and nutrient content, fostering healthier plants.
Cost Savings: By reducing landfill waste and buying less commercial fertiliser, composting saves money.
Environmental Impact: Composting recycles nutrients and reduces the carbon footprint associated with waste transportation and synthetic fertilisers.
Connection to Nature: Composting encourages awareness of natural cycles and creates habitat for beneficial organisms like earthworms and microbes.
What Is Composting Exactly?
Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms (bacteria and fungi), worms, and insects. Under the right conditions, these organisms break down materials such as vegetable peelings, garden waste, tea bags, and paper into dark, crumbly compost that smells like fresh earth.
The process requires a balance of:
Greens: Nitrogen-rich waste like fresh grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds.
Browns: Carbon-rich materials such as dry leaves, twigs, shredded paper, straw.
The right balance ensures efficient breakdown without unpleasant odours.
Step 1: Choose Your Composting Method and Location
Compost Bin or Compost Heap?
Compost Bin: Ideal for small or urban gardens, bins contain the compost neatly, retain heat, and are less likely to attract pests. Plastic compost bins are widely available, or you can make one yourself using recycled wooden pallets.
Compost Heap: Suitable for larger gardens, a heap just piled on the ground works well but may require more space and attendant management. Heaps allow easy access for turning and tend to break down faster with good aeration.
Find the Best Spot
Look for a shaded or semi-shaded area, protected from strong winds but with some exposure to sunlight to encourage microbial activity.
Place the bin or heap on bare soil (not concrete or patio) to allow drainage and access for beneficial soil organisms.
Ensure easy access to your compost spot, as convenience encourages regular use.
Step 2: Build or Buy a Compost Bin
DIY Options: Pallets, wooden crates, or repurposed wooden boxes can form effective compost bins that promote airflow.
Commercial Bins: Available from garden centres, these range from simple plastic bins with lids to tumblers that speed up composting through rotation.
Start Small: For beginners, a single bin sized about 1m³ (or smaller if space is tight) works well.
Incorporate a removable side or door if you want easier access to turn or collect finished compost.
Step 3: Understand What You Can and Cannot Compost
What to Put In
Green materials (Nitrogen-rich): Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, fresh grass clippings, plant trimmings.
Brown materials (Carbon-rich): Dry leaves, twigs, shredded paper and cardboard (plain and uncoated), straw, wood chips.
What to Avoid
Meat, dairy, fish — can attract pests and cause odours.
Diseased plants or invasive weeds — may spread disease or seeds.
Pet waste and cat litter — contains harmful pathogens.
If you want to compost these, consider specialised composters or bokashi systems.
Step 4: Build Your Compost Pile Correctly
The ideal compost pile has a balance of browns and greens — roughly 50-50 by volume.
Start with a layer of coarse browns (twigs, small branches) on the bottom to aid drainage and airflow.
Alternate layers of greens and browns, chopping larger items to speed decomposition.
Keep the pile moist but not wet, like a wrung-out sponge. Water lightly if it dries out.
Cover the pile or bin with a lid, tarp, or breathable cover to retain heat and moisture while preventing pests.
Step 5: Maintain Your Compost
Turn or mix the pile every 1-2 weeks to add oxygen, which helps microbes work faster.
Monitor moisture and add water or dry brown materials as needed.
In a balanced, well-maintained pile, compost can be ready in as few as 6 weeks during warm weather or longer in colder months.
Finished compost is dark, crumbly, and earthy smelling without recognisable food scraps.
Step 6: Using Your Compost
Use homemade compost as mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Mix into garden beds to improve soil structure and nutrition.
Add to potted plants as a soil amendment.
Compost tea — steep a handful of compost in water to feed plants liquid nutrients.
Troubleshooting Common Composting Problems
Bad smell: Usually from excess green/wet waste. Add more browns and turn pile.
Pests: Avoid meat/dairy scraps, use closed bins, add wire mesh base.
Dry pile: Water lightly and ensure a good mix of greens.
Slow decomposition: Chop materials smaller, turn pile more often, check moisture.
No garden? Try small-scale indoor composting:
Worm bins (vermicomposting): Special bins with composting worms ideal for kitchens or balconies.
Bokashi systems: Fermentation process that pre-treats food waste before composting outdoors.
Electric composters: Accelerate decomposition with heat.
Setting up home composting is an achievable and impactful step toward a greener lifestyle. With a little planning, the right balance of materials, and simple maintenance, anyone can turn household and garden waste into nourishing compost.
Through composting, gardeners improve soil health, reduce waste sent to landfill, and contribute to a circular, sustainable system that benefits plants, wildlife, and the planet.
Live Green encourages beginners to start small, learn through experience, and enjoy the rewarding connection to nature that composting brings. To find out more about sustainable living, Live Green offers guides, books, courses, products and community support to help homeowners on their journey to a more sustainable lifestyle.
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