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QUESTION: Can I put fallen apples in the compost?

ANSWER: Fallen apples are a good addition to the compost pile and serve as “green” materials that add nitrogen, though you should not include fallen apples that are diseased. Diseased plants in general should not be included in compost because the disease can be passed along to your garden plants when the compost is used.

QUESTION: Can I compost directly in my garden? It would be much more convenient to do it that way. – Amara F

ANSWER: Yes, composting directly into the garden is as simple as it sounds. Just bury your kitchen scraps in your garden’s soil and allow them to compost underground. Over time, the scraps will break down and add vital nutrients which will enrich your soil.

Keep all of your compostable kitchen scraps in a coffee can, a bucket, or any other type of medium-sized container with a lid. Compostable food scraps include potato peels, citrus rinds, greens, leftover fruit and vegetable scraps, bread, coffee grinds and pretty much any other organic material can be composted. The only common kitchen items that you should never compost are meat and dairy products. 

When your food scrap bucket begins to get full, just take the bucket out into the garden, dig a ditch in between the rows of your crops or in an unused bed and dump the food scraps into the trench.

Cover the scraps up with soil and allow some time for the scraps to break down and decompose before planting directly on top of the trench that you dug. In about 12 to 18 weeks, the scraps will most likely be fully decomposed and you will be able to plant directly on top of your compost trench. The only time in which trench composting becomes an issue is during the winter when the ground freezes over, as it is hard to dig a trench in frozen soil.

QUESTION: Can I compost if I don’t have a garden? I’m not really a gardener, but I hate to throw away kitchen scraps. Rich M

ANSWER: Yes, everyone who cooks at home should compost if possible, as excess wastes quickly fill up landfills and composting is one way to help the environment by cutting down on waste. Compost can be used to fertilize more than just garden soil as well.

You can use compost to fertilize lawns and houseplants too, as well as trees, bushes, and flowers. If you live in an apartment complex and don’t have any outdoor resources which can benefit from your composting efforts, you can always give your compost away to a gardener friend, or a neighbor who has a need for extra compost to amend their garden soil.

QUESTION: Can I compost in a bucket? I don’t own a compost bin. Maddie G

ANSWER: Yes, a five gallon bucket is a perfect container for a small compost bin system. Compost is essential to renewing soil with nutrients that are vital to healthy plant growth. Even if you only have a few potted plants or a small flower bed, you can benefit greatly from making your own compost. All you need is a five gallon bucket and a small container with a lid (like a coffee canister) to collect your kitchen scraps in. With a little bit of patience and effort, you can make your own nutrient-rich soil amendment at home. 

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QUESTION: Should a compost bin have a lid? – DJ F

ANSWER: Having a lid on your compost is not a requirement, but it does help you to regulate and maintain temperature and moisture levels within your compost system. If your compost bin doesn’t have a lid, you can add your own by using a piece of old, Hessian backed carpet (not foam-backed carpet to function as a lid. A cover is also preferable because finished compost needs to be covered at all times, as it will break down and lose nutrients if it is exposed to the elements. 

Other reasons to cover your compost is to protect your heap from receiving too much rainfall, which can waterlog the compost, which creates a lack of airflow in your pile, causing your compost to become slimy and stinky. A covered pile helps deter insects, rodents, and other pests from digging around in your compost.

A covered pile is also easier to heat up to compost’s ideal temperature range, and heating up your pile can make your compost decompose much faster than usual, taking weeks, even months off of the time it takes to process your compost normally. Hot compost is also able to kill weed seeds and harmful garden pests. Covering your compost also keeps it processing during the winter, instead of becoming dormant when the weather starts to freeze. 

The best lids for compost bins are raised to create a pocket of air on top of the compost. Plywood is a good option for a cover material, as it allows air and moisture to pass through it. The lid should never rest on top of the composted materials, but should rest on the frame that holds the compost. A piece of old carpet or a tarp held down with a few stones can make sufficient compost pin covers, however, a tight tarp that rests firmly against the top of the pile could restrict airflow and rainfall, leading to a smelly, mold covered compost pile. 

If you live in an area that gets lots of rainfall, place your compost bin underneath an overhang so that it gets a little less rain. You don’t want a lot of rain getting into your compost, and placing your bin just under the overhang of a garage, shed, or house can help keep a good amount of rain out of your bin. On occasion, move your bin out into the open during a little light rainfall to get a good soaking, but be sure not to let the mix get too wet though. Your compost should always feel slightly moist when you squeeze it, like a wrung out sponge.

Paint the lid of your compost bin black or a very dark blue or brown, as dark colors help draw in sunlight and will help heat up your compost pile. In the winter months, insulate your compost system by covering your bin in straw bales, or adding a wooden lid to help keep your compost from slowing down in the winter.                                              

Plenty of compost piles decompose fine without coverings, and though the process might take a little longer, it is perfectly okay for you to leave your compost pile uncovered. Whether or not you cover your compost should depend on your goals, the region you live in, and the type of composting system you are using.