This webpage contains information on how to compost yardwaste (grass clippings, leaves, etc.)

• How to Compost Yardwaste
• Compost Troubleshooting Guide
  

For information on food waste composting, please visit our foodwaste composting webpage

How to Compost:

1. Layer equal parts of brown & green waste in the compost pile or bin, such as:

Brown Waste	Green Waste
Twigs Dry Leaves Straw Sawdust Shredded newspaper	Grass clippings Green leaves Floral clippings Garden scraps

Do NOT include:

• diseased plants
• weeds (such as morning glory or dandelions)
• thorny plants (roses or blackberries)
• evergreens
• waxy, coated plants (ivy, rhodendrons or laurel)
• evergreen needles
• food scraps

2. Add water as you build each layer and occasionally check the moisture level. If necessary, add more water to keep the material damp.

3. After about a week, use a pitch fork or shovel to loosen any compacted materials and let air in. Repeat regularly adding water as necessary.

4. Check the temperature with a soil thermometer. Inset the soil thermometer as close to the center of the pile as possible. The temperature should rise to between 120-160 degrees F.

Finished compost:

• The finished compost will be dark and crumbly and have an earthy odor.
• Twigs and some leaves may remain in the finished compost. Separate out these materials for further decomposition before using the compost.
• If partly decomposed material is added to the soil, it will continue to decompose, but will use soil nitrogen to do this, restricting the amount of nitrogen available to plants growing nearby.