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Get Ready , Get Set....

1. Location. Location. Location.
   Select a level area for your bin with good water drainage. A partially shaded spot is best. Keep your bin 20 cm - 30 cm (8 in - 12 in) away from walls, fences, bushes, plants and openings to your home.

2. Before you place your bin on the ground, loosen the soil so it is sitting in dirt.

3. Once your bin is in place, put a 10 cm - 15 cm (4 in - 6 in) layer of dead plants, twigs or small branches at the bottom.

4. Follow the Composting 3-Step and enjoy!

The Composting 3-Step

1. Materials
   Always feed your bin equal amounts of GREENS (materials high in nitrogen) and BROWNS (materials high in carbon). See the YES & NO chart below for a complete list. When adding new materials to your bin, start with a layer of BROWNS first, then add a layer of GREENS. Top GREENS with a 2-3 cm (1”) layer of soil or finished compost. Always dig your food scraps in the center of the pile, under the other materials.

2. Moisture
   Keep your pile as damp as a well-wrung sponge. Check moisture on hot summer or windy days. Sprinkle with water when dry.

3. Air
   Add air to your pile every two to three weeks. Poke holes through with a broom handle and loosen with a garden fork.

Yes! Compost

GREENS

• Small amounts of grass clippings
• Flowers, green plant trimmings & newly fallen leaves
• Fruit & vegetable peelings
• Coffee, tea, fruit or vegetable juice
• Grain or pasta products (no sauces or butter)

BROWNS

• Dried grass clippings & dried leaves
• Small amounts of woodchips
• Dryer lint
• Thin layers of hardwood ash & sawdust
• Straw

No! Never Compost:

• Dairy products
• Peanut butter or oil-based products
• Fish, meats, bones, or fats
• Barbecue charcoal or coal ash
• Diseased or insect-infested plants
• Weeds with mature seeds
• Treated wood products
• Animal or human waste

Finished Compost: Ready or Not?

If you properly follow the Composting 3-step, you should have finished compost in 2-3months. To speed up the composting process, you can chop or shredmaterials, add air to your pile more often or add a layer of garden soil.Your pile is ready when it no longer has traces of GREENS and BROWNS and is dark brown with an earthy smell. You may find that only the bottom part of your pile is ready to use while the top is still decomposing.

Before you use compost, you may wish to screen it through wire mesh and return any non-composted items to your bin.

• Dig compost into soil before you plant.
• Sprinkle screened compost on your lawn and on the soil of house plants.
• Use compost as a mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture.
• Mix compost with other potting materials.
• Give some to a friend.

Apartment Dwellers Can Compost Too!
No backyard? No Problem. We have information on indoor worm composting, balcony composting or community composting.

Winter Composting Eh?
A little snow and sub-zero temperatures do not mean and end to composting. Continue to compost as normal but save some fall leaves or dry grass clippings to use throughout the winter. Check out our winter composting factsheet.

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