Start an Autumn Compost Pile

Are you thinking about starting a compost pile? Composting can be a fun hands-on learning experience and a fantastic STEM project for teens!

Starting a compost pile at home is a great way to recycle yard waste and kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Autumn is an ideal time for composting because of the abundance of fallen leaves and other organic materials that are readily available.

Not only can you start a compost pile in the fall, but many would also argue that it’s the best time to do so. The surplus of green and brown compost materials in early autumn is the perfect balance for composting. And starting a pile now means you’ll have finished compost for the spring!

Composting can definitely be considered a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) project! It involves various scientific principles, such as biology (understanding the decomposition process), chemistry (balancing carbon and nitrogen ratios), and environmental science (reducing waste and improving soil health). Technology and engineering can come into play when designing and building composting systems or using tools to monitor and manage the composting process.

How to Compost

Here are some steps to get you started composting:

1. Choose a Location: Select a suitable spot in the yard for your compost pile. It can be in the sun or shade, but make sure it’s easily accessible for adding materials and turning the compost.
2. Select a Bin: You can use a ready-made compost bin or tumbler, a wooden box, or simply a pile on the ground. Common DIY options include using wooden pallets, trash cans, or wire fencing.
3. Size Matters: The key to successful composting is to maintain good airflow, a warm internal temperature, and drainage. The bin preferably should be about 3x3x3 feet to maintain heat and moisture effectively.
4. Prepare the Base: Start with a base layer of coarse material like twigs, mulch, straw, or old potting mix. This encourages air circulation and provides drainage.
5. Gather Materials: Alternate layers of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials:

1. • Green Materials: Vegetable scraps, banana peels, coffee grounds, grass clippings
   • Brown Materials: Dry leaves, pine needles, straw, shredded paper, cardboard, sawdust

6. Maintain Ratios: Aim for a ratio of roughly 1 part green to 2 parts brown materials. This balance ensures proper decomposition.
7. Keep It Moist: Composting microbes need moisture to thrive. Add water after each layer to keep the pile moist but not too wet. It should be like a damp sponge, not soggy. Cover the compost with a lid or tarp to keep the moisture in.
8. Turn the Pile: Every few weeks, mix or turn the compost pile with a shovel or pitchfork. This helps to aerate it by adding oxygen to the mix, which speeds up decomposition and prevents unpleasant odors.
9. Monitor and Maintain: Keep an eye on the moisture and balance of materials. If it smells bad, it might be too wet, so add more dry brown materials. If it’s too dry, add water or moist green materials.
10. Use Your Compost: After a few months, your compost should be dark, crumbly, and ready to use. Finished compost will look, feel, and smell like earth, rather than rotting vegetables. Spread it in your garden beds to enrich the soil.

What to Compost

Here are some items you can compost during the autumn season:

Yard Waste

• Fallen Leaves: These are rich in carbon and are perfect for balancing out green materials.
• Grass Clippings: If you’re still mowing your lawn, these can be added as a nitrogen source.
• Twigs and Small Branches: These help with aeration but should be broken down into smaller pieces.
• Dead Annual Plants: After your garden has finished for the season, compost the remains of annual plants.
• Weeds: As long as they haven’t gone to seed, weeds can be composted.
• Pine Needles: Pine needles are considered a “brown” material, meaning they are rich in carbon, which is essential for balancing the nitrogen-rich “greens” in your compost. But it’s best to use them in moderation, ideally no more than 10% of your compost pile.

Kitchen Scraps

• Vegetable Trimmings: These are great green materials.
• Citrus Peels: Citrus peels like those from oranges, lemons, and limes can be a beneficial addition to your compost pile. Just don’t add too many at once to prevent creating an overly acidic environment.
• Coffee Grounds and Filters: These add nitrogen and can help with the composting process.
• Tea Bags: Make sure they are compostable (some have synthetic fibers).
• Eggshells: These add calcium to your compost.
• Bread: Plain bread that’s stale and hard is the only type of bread that you should compost.

Autumn Decorations

• Pumpkins: After Halloween, pumpkins can be composted. Chop them into smaller pieces to speed up the decomposition process.
• Corn Stalks and Straw Bales: These can be broken down and added to your compost pile.

Other Organic Materials

• Paper: Shredded paper and newspaper can be added as brown materials.
• Cardboard: Plain, uncoated cardboard like shipping boxes, cereal boxes, and toilet paper rolls.
• Manure: If you have access to manure from herbivores like rabbits or chickens, it can be a great addition.

What NOT to Compost

• Animal byproducts, meat, fish, bones, dairy, oils, grease, cat litter, and pet waste as they can create odors and attract flies.
• Coated cardboard (shiny or slippery cardboard or paper coated with wax, plastic, or ink).
• Glossy paper (magazines, catalogs, wrapping paper).
• Cooked pasta, rice, and baked goods. These can breed harmful bacteria and attract rodents.
• Treated wood (which contains chemicals), cedar wood (which has antimicrobial properties) and naturally toxic plants (such as oleander trimmings).
• Coal and charcoal ash (but burnt wood is okay).
• Vacuum cleaner contents and dryer lint. These contain synthetic fibers that won’t break down.

Remember, patience is key! Composting takes time, but eventually, you’ll have nutrient-rich compost to use in your garden. If you’d like more detailed instructions, feel free to explore online resources or watch helpful videos. Happy composting!

If you prefer visual instructions, there are some helpful videos available on YouTube, like this one from Nelson City Council, shown below:

What is Vermicomposting?

Vermicomposting is a method of composting that uses worms, specifically red wigglers or earthworms, to break down organic waste so you don’t have to rely solely on bacteria and microorganisms. The worms will digest food scraps and produce rich, nutrient-dense castings. Imagine having a little army of worms working tirelessly to create “black gold” for your garden! You can get red wiggler worms from local garden centers, online suppliers, and bait shops to put in your compost pile. Or maybe you already have some worms in your garden that you can dig up and relocate to your compost bin.

Compost in a Bottle

Do you live in an apartment or have limited outdoor space? You can make a miniature compost bin in a bottle!

1. Choose a Plastic Bottle: A clear 2-liter soda bottle works well.
2. Cut and Ventilate: Cut the top of the bottle off to create an open container, but keep the top piece as a cover. Poke holes in the sides for ventilation.
3. Layering: Start with small stones or pebbles at the bottom for drainage. Then alternate between green layers (vegetable scraps, coffee grounds) and brown layers (dry leaves, shredded paper). Sprinkle a little bit of garden soil in between layers to introduce microorganisms to the mix.
4. Maintain Moisture: Use a spray bottle to keep everything moist but not wet—think of a damp sponge.
5. Stir Regularly: Shake or stir every week to aerate and break up the mix.
6. Add Worms (Optional): A couple of worms will help to speed up the process.
7. Pest Control: Keep the bottle closed with the top part inverted as a lid to help prevent pests, while conserving moisture and warmth.
8. Odor Control: Eliminate any odors by adding more browns to absorb excess moisture and balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

This method allows for a close-up view of the composting process. Check the bottle regularly to see what’s happening. You might want to take a photo once a week or so to keep track of what has changed. Tape a ruler to the side so you can see how much the compost settles. Do you think it would work better in a sunny window or in a dark room? This would be a great science project!