Composting

Beautify your lawn

Compost improves soil structure, texture, and fertility so your plants and lawn thrive. It also improves water retention by holding almost twice its weight in water.

Protect the environment

Compost protects our waterways by slowing runoff from rain and melting snow, preventing soil erosion, and trapping sediments and chemicals. And unlike many commercial fertilizers, it won’t leach chemicals into the ground.

Cut costs

Composting reduces the need to buy commercial fertilizers, and lawn care service providers may charge less if you ask them to stop collecting your yard trim and pass the savings on to you.

Pick your spot

Find a level, well-drained space in your yard. Avoid setting up your compost bin over shallow tree roots, near wooden structures, and at your neighbor’s property line.

Add “brown” and “green” material

Start with yard trim (grass, leaves and garden prunings). It’s simple and has little risk of attracting pests, such as rodents and insects. And, it saves time from having to place yard trim in a reusable container or in a paper lawn bag and putting it at the curb for yard trim recycling collection. Add a mixture of “brown” and “green” material.  Mix carbon-rich “brown” materials such as dry leaves, straw, and wood chips, with nitrogen-rich “green” materials including flowers, pruning material, and grass clippings. Brown material can be composted alone, but the nitrogen in green material speeds the decomposition process. (Don’t use nitrogen sources alone as they can create odor problems.)

When in doubt, leave it out!

Do not add diseased plants, pet waste, meats, bones, fat, oils, dairy products, processed foods, and weeds that are in bloom or have seed heads. Also, keep out food and kitchen scraps as these can attract pests such as insects and rodents. Note, to compost kitchen scraps, it’s important to use a rodent-proof compost bin with a tight-fitting lid.

Build your pile

Most compost bins are three feet high—the optimum height to ensure the most efficient rate of composting. Compost piles must be large enough to prevent the rapid loss of heat and moisture, but small enough to allow for proper air circulation.

Water lightly

Moisten the materials as you add them. Keep materials moist—but not wet—to promote bacterial growth. Too much moisture can slow the decomposition process. If your compost bin is in a sunny location, you’ll need to check the moisture content more frequently.

Turn the materials

Mix the materials in your compost bin or pile every few weeks, moving the dry materials from the edges into the middle of the pile. When adding new materials, especially green material such as grass clippings—be sure to thoroughly mix them in. Turning the materials in the pile will speed up the decomposition process.

Use your compost

After the materials break down, you will have a dark brown-black, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil amendment. Use it as a top-dressing for your lawn or mix it in the soil for growing annuals, herbs, and vegetables.

Myth: Composting is expensive

Fact: Montgomery County offers residents compost bins at no additional charge.

Myth: Composting causes odors

Fact: A well-maintained compost pile smells as sweet as the forest floor. Odors happen because of mistakes such as poor drainage, a lack of aeration, or the need for more dry “brown” materials in the pile.

Myth: Composting attracts rodents and pests

Fact: Yard trimmings won’t attract rodents. Just keep food scraps out!