Introduction

Composting is one of the best ways to turn your waste into something useful. It’s also a great way to make your yard greener, keep pets and wildlife out of the trash, and even save money on fertilizer for your plants. But if you’ve never composted before, it can seem like an overwhelming process. So here are some tips from us at Metroplanktik Compost Company that will help get you started with composting:

Composting takes time

Composting takes time, and it’s not something you do once and then walk away from. You might have to wait a few months before you can use your compost, but that’s okay—the process is worth it!

To build up to a good compost pile, it takes two or three months for the materials in your bin to break down enough for use as fertilizer. Then when you turn your pile each week (or whenever necessary), it will continue decomposing at different rates depending on its ingredients and ratio of brown matter to green matter.

Compost piles need airflow to decompose quickly

In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of composting and how to get started.

Why should you compost? Composting is a way to turn your food scraps into something useful and healthy. It’s good for the environment because it reduces waste and helps create rich soil that can be used in gardens or landscaping projects. You can also use compost as a fertilizer on your houseplants, potted plants, vegetable garden or flowerbeds.

There are many benefits of composting:

• It reduces your carbon footprint by upcycling organic materials into nutrient-rich soil instead of sending them all to the landfill where they’ll sit for hundreds of years before breaking down naturally (if ever).
• It creates less waste than traditional disposal methods like landfills and incinerators because there’s no need for transporting materials anymore—you just add food scraps directly onto your pile instead!

Cover the pile with a tarp

Covering the pile with a tarp is one of the most important things you can do to improve your composting. It keeps it dry, which helps it decompose faster. It also prevents smells from escaping and attracting pests or animals (e.g., raccoons). And if your compost does get wet from rain or snow, covering the pile with a tarp will prevent any excess moisture from building up inside and ruining all your hard work!

Don’t let the pile get too wet

One of the most important things to remember is that compost needs to be damp, not wet. If it’s too wet, mold and other bacteria may start growing in your pile, which will kill off all the good bacteria living there. And if your pile is too dry—not enough moisture—the microorganisms won’t be able to keep up with eating up all of your scraps and turning them into compost material.

You can tell whether you have the right amount of moisture by squeezing a handful of material from the center of your bin (or wherever you put it). If it feels like a ball made out of clay that’s been left outside in the rain for a few days, then you know it’s too wet! You should also check on its texture: if it crumbles apart or falls apart when squeezed together between two fingers, then again this is an indicator that things might not be going according to plan; maybe time for some more water?

Put your food scraps in a composting bin

As with any activity, it’s important to start off on the right foot. And one of the most important things you can do is ensure that you have a composting bin in which to store your food scraps.

Composting bins are easy-to-use, affordable, and available at most hardware stores. You can also find them online or at garden centers for purchase.

Once you’ve chosen a container that works for your space needs and budget (there are lots of options), it will be time to put one together as well as fill it with all of those scraps!

Keep up with leaf raking and lawn mowing

Leaf raking and lawn mowing are good for the environment, your yard, your neighbors and the community.

Use worms to compost food scraps at home

If you’re interested in composting and want to get started, worms are an excellent option for your compost pile. They are easy to maintain, and they can be used both indoors and out.

Here’s how it works: To begin, you’ll need a bin or container with drainage holes (a plastic storage container will work fine). Next, fill the bottom of the bin with shredded paper towels—this will provide bedding for your worms as well as provide moisture for them during dry spells. Then add some food scraps; this is where most people stop when first starting out but there’s more! Finally, add one pound of red wiggler earthworms per 2 cubic feet of space available in your bin (the total volume is measured by multiplying its length x width x height). You can check out this article from Organic Gardening Magazine on how many pounds of worms you’ll need based on how much space each one takes up in your bin.”

Water the pile every once in awhile

One of the best things you can do for your compost pile is to keep it moist. This is true for all compost piles, but especially for smaller ones that don’t have much volume and a tighter structure. If you notice that your pile is getting dry, add water—but only add a little at a time so that it doesn’t get too wet and slimy (and less effective).

If there’s any liquid coming out of your bin, chances are it’s too wet already! You’ve probably already added too much water. Just let it sit until the excess drains out before adding more water.

Break up big pieces with a shovel or fork when possible.

There are many tools that can be used to break up large pieces of compost. The most common is a shovel, though you can also use a fork or trowel. If you are using a pitchfork for the first time, remember to use caution and not stab yourself with it!

If you’re using a shovel, keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be heavy duty—a lightweight plastic shovel will work just fine for this task. However, if your compost pile has gotten really big and dense over time (which happens sometimes), then you may want something stronger like an old-fashioned metal one instead.

To aerate your pile without mixing all its contents together too much (which could cause issues with turning it), use either an old-fashioned garden fork (the kind with four tines) or even just two regular kitchen forks placed opposite each other on opposite sides of the pile so they form an “X” shape when viewed from above

Composting is easier than you think.

Composting is easier than you think. All you need is a compost bin, some dirt, and a little time. That’s it!

Here are some tips for getting started:

• Start small: Get a good-sized container (at least 3 feet long by 2 feet wide). If you don’t have enough space in your yard or apartment balcony, try using an old trash can instead. The most important thing is that the container has sufficient drainage holes at the bottom—you should be able to fit them over an inch apart if possible. Once everything’s set up correctly and full of food scraps, cover it with a lid so critters don’t jump in and use it as their bathroom! You can also add mulch around your bin to deter rodents from digging up what would otherwise become one of their favorite snacks (and trust me–they’ll love composting!).
• Get ready for success: To keep things fresh smelling while they’re decomposing inside their new home inside my backyard shed where no one knows they’re hiding except me when I accidentally open my door too hard during those times when I’m not paying attention because I’m thinking about other things like maybe next week’s weather forecast which will probably hold true unless something changes unexpectedly again because nothing ever stays stable anywhere anymore except possibly here on Earth where life goes on regardless no matter how much change happens outside these walls.”

Conclusion

Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of trash you throw away, and it’s easy to do. Whether you want to take advantage of the free compost at your local community garden or make your own pile at home, these tips will help make sure your next batch turns out perfect!