How to Compost at Home

Composting is the managed decomposition of food scraps, leaves, grass clippings and other organic materials into a dark, crumbly soil amendment. A properly maintained compost pile reproduces a natural process that occurs whenever plant and animal matter decomposes.

Home composting can reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills while producing a useful material for gardens and landscapes. Compost adds organic matter to soil, supports beneficial organisms, improves soil structure and helps soil retain water.

Successful composting depends on a workable balance of carbon-rich materials, nitrogen-rich materials, moisture and oxygen. Composters can use an outdoor pile, enclosed bin, rotating tumbler, worm bin, trench, sheet-mulching system or community collection service depending on their available space and needs.

Why Compost at Home?

Food scraps and yard debris make up a substantial portion of household waste. Composting recovers some of these materials and returns their nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

The principal benefits of home composting include:

Reducing household garbage and dependence on landfills
Recycling food scraps, leaves and garden debris
Improving soil structure and biological activity
Increasing the soil’s ability to retain moisture
Supporting healthier plant and root growth
Reducing the need for some purchased soil amendments
Helping protect soil against erosion and compaction
Keeping valuable organic material in the local ecosystem

Compost is not identical to commercial fertilizer. Fertilizers primarily supply measured concentrations of plant nutrients, while compost contributes organic matter and gradually releases nutrients. Depending on soil conditions, gardeners may use compost alone or combine it with an appropriate fertilizer.

Choosing a Composting System

The best composting system depends on the amount and type of organic material available, the size of the property and the amount of labor a household wishes to provide.

Open Compost Piles

An open pile is inexpensive and suitable for households with ample outdoor space and a steady supply of yard debris. Piles generally decompose more efficiently when they are large enough to retain heat but small enough to turn and aerate.

Open piles may be unsuitable where rodents, pets or local regulations are concerns. Food scraps should be buried inside the pile and covered with brown material.

Enclosed Compost Bins

Enclosed bins provide a neater appearance and can help contain loose materials. Bins may be purchased or constructed from wire fencing, wooden pallets, plastic containers, trash cans or other suitable materials.

A compost bin should allow airflow, retain adequate moisture and provide access for adding, turning and removing material.

Compost Tumblers

Tumblers make it easier to mix and aerate compost. They can be useful in small yards and places where a contained system is desirable. Their limited capacity, however, may make them unsuitable for large quantities of leaves or garden debris.

Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting uses composting worms—most commonly red wigglers—to process food scraps and bedding. A worm bin can operate indoors, in a garage or in another protected location with moderate temperatures.

Suitable bedding may include shredded cardboard, paper, coconut coir or aged leaves. Bedding should remain damp but not waterlogged. Worms should be fed gradually so that food does not accumulate and produce odors.

Trench and In-Ground Composting

Kitchen scraps may be buried in trenches or holes where they decompose directly in the soil. Materials should be buried deeply enough to discourage animals from digging them up.

Gardeners should avoid planting directly above newly buried scraps until decomposition is sufficiently advanced.

Sheet Composting and Mulching

Sheet composting places layers of organic material directly on the soil surface. Leaves, cardboard, grass clippings and other materials can break down gradually while suppressing weeds and protecting the soil.

Community Composting

People without space for a home system may use municipal collection programs, community gardens, farmers’ markets or private food-scrap collection services. Accepted materials vary, so participants should follow the rules of the particular program.

Green and Brown Compost Materials

Compost organisms require both carbon and nitrogen. Composters commonly describe carbon-rich ingredients as “browns” and nitrogen-rich ingredients as “greens.”

Brown Materials

Brown materials provide carbon and help maintain airflow. Examples include:

Dry autumn leaves
Shredded cardboard
Non-glossy paper
Straw
Small twigs
Untreated wood chips
Sawdust from untreated wood
Dried plant stalks
Paper egg cartons

Very large or woody materials decompose slowly. Cutting, shredding or crushing them increases their surface area and can accelerate decomposition.

Green Materials

Green materials contain relatively high levels of nitrogen and moisture. Examples include:

Fruit and vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds
Tea leaves
Fresh grass clippings
Green garden trimmings
Wilted flowers
Young weeds without mature seeds
Limited amounts of herbivore manure

Although coffee grounds are brown in color, composters generally treat them as a nitrogen-rich green material.

Balancing the Materials

A practical home-composting approach is to add roughly two or three volumes of brown material for each volume of green material. Exact ratios are not always necessary, but the pile should contain substantially more carbon-rich material than wet food scraps or fresh grass.

If a pile smells unpleasant or becomes slimy, more dry brown material and airflow may be needed. If it remains dry and decomposes very slowly, it may need water, green material or both.

Materials to Keep Out of a Home Compost Pile

Ordinary backyard piles may not reach or maintain temperatures sufficient to destroy pathogens, weed seeds or persistent plant diseases.

Materials generally excluded from home compost include:

Meat, fish and bones
Dairy products
Fats, grease and cooking oil
Large quantities of cooked food
Pet feces and used cat litter
Diseased plant material
Weeds with mature seeds
Plants treated with persistent herbicides
Coal or charcoal ash
Glossy or coated paper
Pressure-treated or painted wood
Chemically contaminated materials
Plastic, glass and metal

Commercial composting facilities may accept materials that should not enter a backyard pile because they operate under different conditions. Products labeled “compostable” are not necessarily suitable for home composting.

Animal Manure and Food Safety

Manure from herbivorous animals can supply nitrogen, but it must be handled carefully. Manure may contain disease-causing organisms, excessive salts, weed seeds or residues from animal treatments.

Manure from dogs, cats and humans should not be placed in compost intended for food gardens. Raw manure should not be applied close to the harvest of edible crops. Proper hot composting can reduce risks, but home composters may find it difficult to maintain the required temperatures throughout an entire pile.

Gardeners should follow current agricultural and public-health recommendations when using manure around food crops.

Building a Compost Pile

Select a level, well-drained location with convenient access to water and a supply of compost ingredients. A partially shaded location may help prevent excessive drying in hot climates.

To construct the pile:

Begin with a coarse layer of twigs, stalks or other bulky brown material to encourage airflow.
Add alternating or mixed layers of brown and green materials.
Chop large ingredients into smaller pieces where practical.
Moisten dry materials as they are added.
Cover food scraps with several inches of leaves or another brown material.
Mix the ingredients so greens are not concentrated in dense, wet layers.
Cover the pile if heavy rain, intense sun or pests are a concern.

A pile does not need perfectly defined layers. Thorough mixing often creates more consistent conditions for decomposition.

Moisture, Air and Temperature

Compost organisms need moisture, but excessive water fills air spaces and creates anaerobic conditions. The pile should generally feel like a wrung-out sponge: evenly damp without releasing streams of water when squeezed.

If the pile is too dry, add water gradually while turning it. If it is waterlogged, mix in dry leaves, shredded cardboard or another absorbent brown material.

Turning introduces oxygen and moves outer material toward the warmer center. Frequent turning can accelerate decomposition, although an undisturbed pile will also break down given sufficient time.

Active piles may become warm as microorganisms consume organic material. Heat can accelerate decomposition, but a pile does not have to become extremely hot to produce compost. Small, passive and cool piles simply require more time.

Preventing Odors and Pests

A well-managed compost pile should smell earthy rather than rotten. Odors and pests usually indicate an imbalance or the exposure of food scraps.

To prevent problems:

Bury fresh food scraps near the center of the pile
Cover each addition with dry brown material
Avoid meat, dairy, grease and oily food
Maintain adequate airflow
Break up compacted grass clippings
Keep the pile damp but not saturated
Use a secure bin where rodents are common
Avoid adding more food than the system can process
Clean containers used to collect kitchen scraps

Fruit flies in indoor containers can often be controlled by emptying the container frequently, covering scraps and keeping exposed surfaces clean.

Troubleshooting a Compost Pile

The Pile Smells Rotten

A rotten or sewage-like smell often indicates excessive moisture, compaction or too much green material. Turn the pile and mix in dry leaves, shredded cardboard or other browns.

The Pile Smells Like Ammonia

An ammonia odor can indicate excessive nitrogen. Add carbon-rich brown material and mix the pile thoroughly.

The Pile Is Not Decomposing

A slow pile may be too dry, too small, too cold or deficient in nitrogen. Moisten it, add green material and combine small scattered piles where appropriate.

The Pile Attracts Animals

Remove prohibited food, bury acceptable scraps more deeply and use a secure container or hardware-cloth barrier. Avoid relying on a thin layer of soil alone to exclude persistent animals.

The Pile Contains Flies

Cover exposed food with brown material. In worm bins, reduce feeding temporarily and make sure food remains buried beneath the bedding.

Grass Clippings Form a Slimy Layer

Fresh grass can compact rapidly. Allow clippings to dry or mix them immediately with coarse brown materials rather than adding them in a thick layer.

Composting Leaves and Yard Debris

Autumn leaves are among the most useful home-composting materials. They provide carbon, help absorb moisture and can be stored for mixing with kitchen scraps throughout the year.

Leaves decompose faster when shredded with a mower or leaf shredder. They can be composted alone to produce leaf mold, mixed into an active pile or used directly as mulch.

Garden vegetation may also be composted, but diseased plants and weeds with mature seeds should be excluded unless the pile is managed to achieve reliable pathogen- and seed-killing temperatures.

Woody branches should be chipped or cut into small pieces. Large branches decompose slowly and can make turning difficult.

Composting Eggshells

Eggshells can be added to compost, although they decompose slowly. Rinsing, drying and crushing or grinding the shells increases their surface area and helps them break down more efficiently.

Eggshells should not be viewed as a rapid solution to soil calcium problems. Gardeners should test their soil before attempting to correct a suspected nutrient deficiency.

Harvesting Finished Compost

Finished compost is generally dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling. Most original ingredients should no longer be recognizable, although small pieces of wood, eggshell or other resistant material may remain.

The time required can range from several months to more than a year. It depends on the materials, particle size, climate, moisture, aeration and frequency of turning.

Unfinished material can be screened out and returned to the active pile. Compost that is still hot, strongly odorous or visibly dominated by fresh ingredients should be allowed to mature before use.

How to Use Finished Compost

Finished compost can be used in several ways:

Mix it into garden soil before planting
Apply a thin layer around established plants
Add it to raised beds
Top-dress lawns
Blend it into suitable homemade potting mixtures
Spread it beneath trees and shrubs
Use it to improve depleted or compacted soil

More compost is not always better. Excessive application can create nutrient imbalances, raise soluble salt levels or introduce more phosphorus than plants require. Soil testing can help determine appropriate application rates.

Compost used as mulch should be placed on the soil surface rather than piled against plant stems, tree trunks or building foundations.

Composting in Apartments and Small Spaces

Apartment residents can compost through worm bins, bokashi systems, compact ventilated bins or community collection programs.

A well-maintained worm bin can process modest quantities of fruit and vegetable scraps with little odor. Bokashi uses fermentation rather than conventional aerobic decomposition and produces material that normally requires burial or further processing.

Electric food-waste devices may dry or grind scraps, but their output is not always biologically mature compost. Users should examine how a device works and how its processed material must be used.

For very small households, storing scraps in a freezer until collection day can prevent odors and insects.

Composting in Schools and Community Gardens

Schools and community gardens can use composting to demonstrate decomposition, nutrient cycling, waste reduction and soil conservation.

Programs should establish clear rules about accepted materials, collection responsibilities, pest prevention and the use of finished compost. Accessible signs and labeled containers can reduce contamination.

Small educational systems may include bottle composters, worm bins and demonstration piles. Larger programs may require trained coordinators and partnerships with community composting services.

Environmental Importance of Composting

When organic materials decompose in oxygen-poor landfill conditions, they can contribute to methane emissions. Diverting appropriate materials to well-managed composting systems can reduce waste while creating a useful soil amendment.

Compost also supports climate resilience by helping some soils retain water, resist erosion and sustain plant growth. The precise environmental benefit depends on transportation, equipment, processing methods and how the finished compost is used.

Waste prevention should remain the first priority for edible food. Households should try to buy, store and use food efficiently, donating suitable surplus when possible. Composting is most appropriate for unavoidable scraps and inedible organic material.

Conclusion

Home composting converts food scraps and yard debris into a valuable resource. The process succeeds when composters combine carbon-rich browns with nitrogen-rich greens, maintain suitable moisture, provide oxygen and exclude unsafe materials.

No single composting method is appropriate for every household. Outdoor piles and bins can handle yard debris, while tumblers, worm bins, in-ground systems and community programs provide alternatives for smaller spaces or different lifestyles.

By beginning with a manageable system, covering food scraps, keeping a supply of dry leaves or cardboard and responding to moisture or odor problems promptly, most households can produce useful compost while reducing waste and improving their soil.

Composting Basics and Beginner Guides

Do’s and Don’ts of Composting: A Simple Guide for Beginners

| University of Georgia Cooperative Extension | UGA Field Report | May 27, 2026

A beginner-friendly guide to choosing a compost location, balancing materials, maintaining moisture and avoiding common composting mistakes.

How to Get Started with Composting at Home

| UConn Extension | University of Connecticut | 2026

Describes how to select a home composting system, build a pile and balance coarse browns, food scraps, moisture and airflow.

Composting at Home

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | December 8, 2025

Covers composting ingredients, backyard pile construction, pest prevention, worm composting and ways to use finished compost.

Home Composting Guide

| New York State Department of Environmental Conservation | NYSDEC | November 2025

Provides a detailed compost recipe, acceptable materials, maintenance instructions and troubleshooting advice for households.

Home Composting: A Guide for Home Gardeners

| Penn State Extension | Pennsylvania State University | July 17, 2025

Explains how to select or build a bin and manage organic material until it becomes stable, usable compost.

How to Make Compost in Four Easy Steps

| Marie Iannotti | The Spruce | August 5, 2024

Provides step-by-step instructions for selecting a site, combining ingredients, maintaining a pile and recognizing finished compost.

How to Make Compost at Home

| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland | July 12, 2024

Explains decomposition, pile management and the soil, water-conservation and cost-saving benefits of homemade compost.

Composting for Beginners: Everything You Need to Get Started

| Lauren David | The Spruce | June 14, 2024

Introduces green and brown materials, moisture, aeration, tumbler systems, worm bins and bokashi fermentation.

Composting at Home: A Guide

| Greenprint | Greenprint | March 11, 2023

Introduces backyard piles, bins, vermicomposting and other practical ways to recycle household organic waste.

Six Quick Composting Tips for Beginners

| Brittany Yamamoto-Taylor | Cook Smarts | April 12, 2022

Helps beginners choose a system, identify compostable kitchen scraps and prevent odor and pest problems.

Composting at Home

| Jessica Warren | University of Georgia Extension | October 2022

Explains how household composting mimics natural decomposition while improving soil and reducing landfill methane emissions.

Composting at Home

| University of Georgia Extension | Georgia Green Landscape Stewards | January 2021

Surveys backyard piles, bins, trench composting, sheet composting, posthole composting and vermicomposting.

Composting 101

| Darby Hoover | Natural Resources Defense Council | July 20, 2020

Gives an accessible introduction to compost science, compostable materials, pile construction, maintenance and finished-compost use.

Tips on Composting

| Jessica Strickland | University of Georgia Extension | April 2020

Explains how compost improves soil structure, aeration, fertility and water retention while reducing organic waste.

Composting for the Home Gardener

| Emma Erler | University of New Hampshire Extension | 2019

Explains why gardeners compost, how decomposition works and how to manage yard and household organic materials.

Composting at Home

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA Archive | August 24, 2016

Explains the three basic compost ingredients—browns, greens and water—and lists materials suitable for home piles.

Lessons Learned in Composting

| Joshua Fuder | University of Georgia Extension | July 26, 2016

Shares practical lessons about pile construction, moisture, turning and the use of grass clippings and woody mulch.

Backyard Composting in Utah

| Kitt Farrell-Poe and Rich Koenig | Utah State University Extension | 2011

Explains pile ingredients, carbon-to-nitrogen balance, moisture, aeration and the soil benefits of composting yard waste.

Slow Composting Works When You Have More Time Than Labor

| Oregon State University Extension | Oregon State University | 2010

Shows how an unheated or infrequently turned pile can still produce compost when given adequate air, moisture and time.

Backyard Composting: It’s Only Natural

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA GreenScapes | 2008

Introduces piles, enclosed bins and vermicomposting while providing lists of appropriate household and yard ingredients.

Composting Methods, Systems and Bins

Approaches to Composting

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | December 29, 2025

Compares backyard composting, vermicomposting, community composting and larger-scale systems for managing organic materials.

Do the Rot Thing—Choosing and Using a Composting System

| OSU Compost Specialists | Oregon State University Extension | Reviewed 2025

Compares bins, piles, worm systems, in-place composting and sheet mulching while explaining the roles of carbon, nitrogen, water and air.

How to Make a DIY Compost Bin: 15 Easy Designs

| Stacy Fisher | The Spruce | February 10, 2025

Presents compost-bin plans using pallets, wire fencing, barrels, buckets, trash cans, plastic totes and straw bales.

How to Make a Compost Bin Using Plastic Storage Containers

| Colleen Vanderlinden | The Spruce | May 16, 2024

Shows how to convert two inexpensive plastic storage containers into a compact composting system.

Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Composting

| Utah State University Extension | Utah 4-H | 2024

Offers simple composting activities using food scraps, garden waste and paper in systems ranging from bottles to outdoor piles.

How to Compost in an Apartment

| Elizabeth L. Cline | The Spruce | June 30, 2022

Compares worm bins, bokashi buckets, compact plastic bins, collection services and electric devices for small-space composters.

Vermicomposting and Worms

Vermicomposting Puts Worms to Work

| Penn State Extension | Pennsylvania State University | January 22, 2025

Introduces red wiggler worms and explains how they transform household food scraps into valuable worm castings.

Composting with Worms

| Sam Angima, Michael Noack and Sally Noack | Oregon State University Extension | June 2024

Provides instructions for selecting worms, preparing bedding, feeding a worm bin and harvesting vermicompost.

Worm Composting Reduces Household Wastes

| University of Missouri Extension | University of Missouri | April 13, 2018

Explains how indoor red-worm bins can substantially reduce food waste without requiring a backyard compost pile.

Earthworm Production

| J. Robert Mather and James P. Martin | Penn State Extension | June 13, 2013

Discusses earthworm biology and the use of worms to process organic waste into marketable or garden-ready castings.

Compostable Materials and Ingredient Safety

Never Compost This Kind of Plant—It Can Harm Your Garden and Soil

| David Beaulieu | The Spruce | June 8, 2025

Explains why most backyard piles cannot reliably destroy plant pathogens and recommends safer disposal of diseased vegetation.

Wise Use of Manure in Home Vegetable Gardens

| Penn State Extension | Pennsylvania State University | June 28, 2024

Reviews the benefits and food-safety risks of using raw and composted animal manure in vegetable gardens.

What to Compost vs. What Not to Compost

| Colleen Vanderlinden | The Spruce | October 25, 2022

Identifies suitable compost ingredients and materials that can attract pests, spread disease or survive in a cool home pile.

"Leaf" It to Nature for Compost and Nutrients

| Linda Geist | University of Missouri Extension | November 8, 2021

Describes how leaves can be composted or returned directly to lawns and gardens to recycle nutrients and improve soil.

Fall Leaves and Faded Garden Plants Make Great Compost

| Marlin Bates | University of Missouri Extension | April 12, 2018

Shows how carbon-rich autumn leaves can be paired with nitrogen-rich plants and kitchen scraps in a balanced pile.

Using Eggshells in the Garden and Compost

| Ken Johnson | University of Illinois Extension | March 28, 2018

Explains how crushing or grinding eggshells helps them decompose and release calcium more effectively.

How Can I Turn My Garden into Compost?

| Oregon State University Extension | Ask Extension | 2018

Discusses ways to compost garden vegetation and incorporate decomposed organic material back into the soil.

Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens

| University of Missouri Extension | University of Missouri | September 27, 2017

Advises gardeners to keep diseased vegetation out of ordinary compost piles so pathogens are not returned to the garden.

Turn Fall Yard Debris into Compost for a Healthier Garden

| Kym Pokorny | Oregon State University Extension | 2016

Explains how autumn leaves, clippings, garden plants and suitable kitchen scraps can become a valuable soil amendment.

Turn Livestock Manure into Rich Compost for Your Garden

| Kym Pokorny | Oregon State University Extension | 2013

Explains why manure should be hot-composted and provides safety guidance for using raw manure around food crops.

Using Compost and Improving Soil

Benefits of Using Compost

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | May 6, 2026

Explains how compost improves soil fertility, water retention, plant growth, erosion resistance and biological diversity.

Compost or Fertilizer? What Gardeners Choose to Save Money and Boost Soil Health

| Lauren David | The Spruce | 2025

Compares the cost, sustainability and soil benefits of homemade compost with recurring purchases of commercial fertilizer.

How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes

| Weston Miller and Jeremiah Mann | Oregon State University Extension | April 2025

Gives recommended compost application depths for new and established vegetable beds, lawns and landscape plantings.

Making and Using Compost in the Garden

| University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension | UW–Madison | 2020

Describes how to convert yard and kitchen waste into a soil amendment and apply it safely in gardens.

Backyard Composting Basics: A Cheatsheet

| Rodale Institute | Rodale Institute | January 4, 2019

Provides a compact recipe for layering green and brown ingredients, maintaining airflow and keeping food scraps covered.

Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter

| Linda Brewer | Oregon State University Extension | 2014

Covers compost, leaf mulch and other organic amendments that improve soil structure and moisture management.

Food Waste, Recycling and Environmental Benefits

Composting

| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | May 18, 2026

An overview of composting, its environmental benefits and the home and community systems available for recycling organic materials.

Food Waste Prevention: Wait! Don’t Throw That Away!

| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | January 26, 2023

Discusses home composting and other practical ways to reuse kitchen scraps, reduce waste and save money.

Yale Experts Explain Compost

| Yale Sustainability | Yale University | January 10, 2022

Explains the science of managed decomposition and the environmental value of returning organic matter to soil.

Recycling in Utah: Green Waste for Compost

| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | 2021

Explains how indoor, backyard, community and commercial composting systems recover organic material from the waste stream.