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Backyard composting is easy. It reduces the amount of trash your family sends to the landfill, conserves water, increases plant growth, replaces the need for some chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and is fun!  By composting, you can divert fruit and vegetable scraps from the landfill and turn yard waste into an organic material that is beneficial to use in your yard and garden.
 

Compost bins may be purchased at the Dakota County Eco-Site.  Click here for more information.

Composting Basics

Composting is nature's way of recycling nutrients. This process converts plant trimmings and food scraps into nutrients that can be used as a soil amendment. Bacteria do most of the work by feeding on food scraps and converting them into inorganic nutrients, which plants use to grow. Fungi and insects also help break down organic materials.

For more information, visit the Dakota County Composting web page or www.reduce.org

Backyard composting is easy to set up and maintain. Just follow these steps:

1. First, find a spot in your yard that has some shade and is a few feet away from your house. You also want your bin where you can easily reach it and it won't flood when it rains.
   
2. Your container should be 5 feet or shorter and able to keep your pile warm, moist and neat looking. The cheapest way is to throw waste into an open-air bin made of wood pallets, wire, brick blocks or scrap material. You can also buy an easy-to-assemble plastic bin at your local home and garden store or from the Dakota County Ecosite (call 651-905-4520 for bin availability and cost).
   
3. Once you've made your compost bin, begin your pile with a 4-6 inch layer of "browns" to create good air movement. Examples of browns include: dried grasses, leaves and some weeds; straw; woodchips; twigs and branches; sawdust; corncobs and stalks; and shredded newspaper.
   
4. Next, you want to add your "greens", having the same amount as your browns pile. Keep alternating greens and browns. Examples of greens include: green leaves, coffee grounds, tea bags, plant trimmings, raw fruit and vegetable scraps, fresh grass clippings, and hair.
   
5. Mix your pile with pitch fork or shovel and add some water until the material is moist. You should periodically turn your pile and add water to keep the bacteria and other decomposing organisms alive. Like us, they need water and air to live. Water is necessary for bacteria to grow and move around in the pile and air is needed for them to breathe. Mixing up your pile each week with a spade or pitchfork will provide air for the decomposition process and prevent bad odors.
   
6. With the right conditions, the bacteria, fungi and insects will munch on the greens and after several weeks, the pile will become dark and crumbly, fresh-smelling, and no longer look like the food scraps you first put in your bin. This material has lots of nutrients that plants need to grow, so you can add it to your garden, yard or houseplants.

For technical assistance, contact the U of M Extension Service, Dakota County at 651-480-7700.

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