How and Why to Start a Compost Pile at Home – The Benefits of ‘Black Gold’

If you have gardens around your house, it’s time to become aware of free resources you have been throwing away and opt to start composting as a way to increase your sustainability—and the health of your plants.

Creating your own compost reduces waste that goes into local landfills—and the result is “black gold”.

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Spreading it on your gardens will foster a better environment for plants while improving the long term health of the soil environment.

Naturally occurring biological processes driven by bacteria and fungi break down unwanted kitchen and yard waste, turning it into an organic material that is rich in nutrients and helpful soil bacteria that bolsters healthy roots.

Home composting can seem like a daunting task initially, but with a few steps outlined here it’s easy to begin a lifelong environmentally—beneficial habit.

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To begin composting it’s important to understand the fundamentals, and why materials need to be balanced in a proper ratio for the magical decomposition to occur.

In the simplest terms, most kitchen and yard/garden waste is classified as being either ‘brown’, which is carbon-based, or ‘green’, nitrogen-based. The ’black gold’ results when the two types of materials are mixed in the proper balance. A simple rule of thumb is to make sure the compost pile has approximately 2/3 “brown” materials—like dead leaves and sticks— and 1/3 “green” materials—like rotting vegetables, banana peels, and coffee grounds.

Carbon-based materials give compost its light, fluffy body and typically consists of items that are more wood-based, or fibrous. Fireplace ashes, sawdust, or pine needles are also considered “brown” and provide food for the bacteria and microorganisms.

Nitrogen or protein-rich material (manures, food scraps, green leaves) provides the raw materials (amino acids and proteins) needed for the enzymatic reactions that are occurring. These items are considered “green” materials.