How to Compost at Home

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Composting at home is fun, easy and builds healthy soil that helps your garden thrive. You can start simple and learn as you go. This information will help get you started.

A Compost Pile Needs 4 Things:

Greens: fresh, moist materials like food scraps and fresh grass clippings. They add moisture and nitrogen to the pile and decompose quickly.
Browns: dry, dead plant materials like fallen leaves and twigs. They add carbon to the pile and decompose slowly.
Water: the helpful microorganisms inside your pile need moisture to thrive. These include fungi and bacteria, which break down greens and browns.
Air: these microorganisms also need oxygen to thrive.

When all 4 are in balance, the pile will break down quickly. We recommend adding equal parts greens and browns to your pile.

couple with food scraps

What Can I Compost at Home?

Easy Things to Compost

Start with anything from a plant.
Add fresh greens like:

Grass clippings, cut flowers, green leaves, green plants
Vegetable scraps, fruit peels, apple cores
Coffee grounds, food scraps, mouldy food, tea bags, egg shells

Add dry browns like:

Autumn leaves, small branches, twigs, straw, dry grass
Newspaper, shredded paper

Tricky Things to Compost

Meat, fish, bones
Oily foods
Cheese, dairy products
Weeds

These can cause problems. Try composting small amounts as you gain experience.

Things to Avoid

Dog, cat and human feces
Diseased plants
Plants treated with herbicides
Noxious weeds (such as creeping bellflower)

These can carry disease or cause problems in your pile.

Find a Bin That’s Right For You

lady compost bin

There are many different ways to compost. Bins are great for beginners and easy to find at hardware stores. Consider the amount of space you have and the volume of material you plan to compost.

Getting Started in 5 Steps

mulch

Put your compost bin in a convenient spot. It should be easy to access year ‘round.
Fill one-third of your bin with browns, like fallen leaves or straw.
Add greens often. They keep your pile decomposing.
Mix your compost pile once a week. Use a shovel, garden fork or compost aerating tool. This adds air to the middle of your pile.
Add water as needed. Keep your compost pile as wet as a wrung-out sponge.

Can I Compost in Winter?

Yes! Your compost pile will freeze, along with any food scraps you add to it. That’s okay. When spring comes, the pile will thaw and composting will start again. We recommend that you:

Add water to your pile in winter. This freezes your compost pile which discourages critters like mice from visiting.
Mix your compost pile in April. This helps the pile start composting early in spring.

Troubleshooting

My pile isn’t composting

Your pile likely has too many browns or is too dry. Add some water and greens and mix the pile to get outside materials into the middle. You can also try chopping up your greens into smaller pieces. Small pieces compost quicker than large pieces.

My compost pile smells

A balanced compost pile has a pleasant, earthy smell. If your pile is stinky, it likely has too many greens or is too wet. Add more browns and mix the pile to release moisture and add air.

My compost pile is attracting critters

The greens in your pile may be easy food for insects or animals. Try covering them with a thick layer of browns. If critters have moved in, make it a less attractive home by mixing regularly and adding water.

To prevent critters from coming back, keep your pile actively composting by balancing greens, browns, air and water. A balanced pile decomposes quickly, meaning food is less accessible to animals.

Have Questions?

We’re here to help!

For more tips on getting started, troubleshooting and using your compost, see our Home Composting Guide
Check out other learning opportunities, including Compost School, hands-on workshops and our Keep Composting newsletter
Contact our compost helpline at compost@edmonton.ca or 780-668-0217

Contact Us

Our staff and volunteers are ready to answer your questions.
Media inquiries should be directed through the appropriate media contact.

Title	Home Composting Programs
Email	compost@edmonton.ca
Phone	780-668-0217