Do It Yourself Composting
How to Compost
Composting is relatively straight forward. You can use a variety of bins - open or closed, tumblers or stationary. You can even compost by creating trenches or holes in your yard. Bins can be purchased from many local garden centers or through an annual Dane County sale. You can also build your own.
The conversion of food scrapes to compost requires a few basic components:
Nitrogen (greens, household waste)
Carbon (browns, leaf matter, cardboard)
Oxygen (aeration and turning over compost)
Water (some moisture)
Heat (the temp needs to be above freezing)
Good location (ideally dry and shady)
Check out this great video on composting!
What You Can Compost
Much of the kitchen and yard waste you generate can likely be added to your compost bin. For example, you can compost of the following:
Fruit and Vegetables
Eggshells
Coffee Grounds and Filters
Tea Bags
Nut Shells
Shredded Newspaper, Cardboard, and Paper
Yard trimmings, Grass Clippings, and Leaves
Wood chips, Saw Dust, Hay and Straw
Cotton and Wool Rags
Dryer and Vacuum Cleaner Lint
Hair and Fur
Fireplace Ashes
However, you don’t want to compost the following as they may release substances that are harmful to plants, create odors and attract pests, and could contain pathogens harmful to humans:
Black Walnut Leaves and Twigs
Coal or Charcoal Ash
Dairy Products and Eggs
Fat, Grease, and Oil
Meat or Fish Bones/Scrapes
Pet Feces/Cat Litter
Yard Trimmings Treated with Pesticides
If you use a composting program, always check with the composting coordinator to understand what the service will and won’t collect as their list may be different from that above.