How to Start a Compost Bin

Pick a spot that's partially shaded (to prevent the pile from drying out too fast), easily accessible from your kitchen and garden, and away from wooden structures or fences. A flat, well-drained area works best. Leave at least 3 feet of clearance around the bin for turning access.

A commercial plastic compost bin works well for beginners and costs $30-60. Alternatively, wire four wooden pallets together into a square enclosure — pallets are often free from lumber yards and grocery stores. Minimum effective size is 3'×3'×3'. For solid containers, drill 1/2" holes every 6 inches in the sides and bottom for airflow and drainage.

Start with a 4-6 inch layer of brown, carbon-rich materials: dry leaves, shredded corrugated cardboard (remove tape), wood chips, or straw. Brown materials provide carbon, absorb moisture, and create air pockets. Never use glossy paper or cardboard with heavy printing.

Add a 2-3 inch layer of nitrogen-rich green materials: raw fruit and vegetable scraps, fresh-cut grass clippings, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, or fresh plant trimmings. The ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio is roughly 3:1 by volume — 3 parts browns to 1 part greens.

The pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge — moist throughout but not dripping when you squeeze a handful. Use a garden hose to mist each layer as you add it. A dry pile decomposes very slowly; an overly wet pile becomes anaerobic and smells like sewage.

Always cover fresh kitchen scraps with a layer of brown material. This reduces fruit flies and odors dramatically. Continue alternating brown and green layers, moistening each, as you add materials over time.

After 1-2 weeks, use a garden fork to turn the pile, moving outside material to the center and inside material to the edges. Turning introduces oxygen, which is essential for aerobic decomposition. An active, hot pile (130-160°F internally) needs turning every 1-2 weeks. Cold composting works too — just add material and turn monthly.