A How-To

Guide for Backyard

Composting

Turn peels into petals.

WHAT IS COMPOSTING?

Composting is the process where organic

material, such as kitchen and yard waste,
breaks down allowing rich nutrients
to be returned to the soil. To
understand why compost
is important, you need to
understand soil and the
nutrient cycle.

Soil provides plants the

nutrients that are necessary for
all growing things to flourish. When plants such as fruits and
vegetables are taken from the soil, those nutrients are taken too.
To make sure the soil has enough nutrients to feed everything
growing in it, we can turn organic material like peels, cores, and
many other things into nutrient rich compost because these
materials are rich in nitrogen, carbon, and other nutrients.

Compost is a valuable soil addition and can be created with very

little effort. In order to successfully compost, you simply need
to create the conditions for composting to happen. The only
materials needed to create compost are air, water, and natural
materials, such as yard and kitchen waste.

Compost is ready to use when all of the materials are broken

down. The finished product is a dark, earthy substance that
looks, feels, and smells like very dark, rich soil. Depending on
how well your compost is maintained, the process can take
from six months to two years. Whether you have large flower
and vegetable gardens or a small lawn, composting can be an
effective way to help keep your surroundings beautiful.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
OF COMPOSTING?

Helping your garden grow

• By adding compost to your vegetable or

flower gardens, shrubs, and lawn, you are
supplying rich nutrients and conditioning
the soil, at no cost.

Reducing waste

• 30% of the waste produced in your

home can be composted in your
backyard. Composting in your
backyard will reduce the need for
curbside collection, hauling,
and processing by your
municipality.

Environmental responsibility

• Since compost is a natural and

healthy fertilizer, composting
helps you to reduce your reliance
on chemical fertilizers.
 HOW DO I COMPOST?

1 Choose Your Composter

While you do not need a container,
it can help keep your compost tidy
and manageable. A composter will
prevent your organic material from
blowing around and keep it from
getting too wet from rain, which
can cause it to smell. You can
purchase a ready-made container,
or find instructions online to
make your own.

2 Pick a Location
Choose a spot in your backyard on bare ground
with a fair amount of shade, such as under a tree
or at the edge of a wooded area. This will prevent
your compost from drying out in the sun. Your
composter should be easy to access in all seasons.

3 Build Your Pile

A successful compost pile is made from alternating
layers of browns (e.g. leaves and paper) and green
(e.g. kitchen waste and grass clippings). Start with
browns and then switch beween layers, ending
with brown on top. Breaking large materials, such
as twigs, into pieces will help them decompose
more quickly.
GREENS
(wet & soft materials) BROWNS
• Kitchen waste (dry & woody materials)
- Fruit • Leaves
- Vegetables • Straw
- Bread • Hay
- Pasta • Ash
- Coffee grounds • Paper
- Filters • Paper egg cartons
• Weeds • Toilet paper rolls
• Grass clippings • Cereal boxes

Never put meat, fish, bones, fat, dairy, or pet waste in your
backyard compost pile. These items take a long time to
decompose and can attract rodents and create odours.

4 Add Material to Your Pile

Greens add nitrogen and moisture to the pile while
browns help air circulate and also add carbon.
Keeping greens sandwiched between browns helps
everything break down faster. Keep browns close to
the pile so you can add them on top of any greens.

5 Maintain Your Pile

Your pile should always be damp but not too wet,
like a squeezed sponge. If the pile is too damp,
add browns to help absorb the moisture; if it’s
too dry, add more greens. Every two to three weeks,
turn the compost using a pitch fork or shovel to
help air circulate.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long does it take to make compost?

A properly maintained heap can produce compost
in as little as three months or can take as long as two
years. Alternating between browns and greens and
mixing the pile often will help ensure the process
will not take as long.

What should I do if my compost smells bad?

The pile may smell if there are too many greens and
not enough browns. To reduce smell, add more browns.
Mixing the pile will also reduce odour. Meat, bones, or
dairy products should not be added to your backyard
compost as they will cause the pile to smell.

Can I compost in the winter?

Yes, although materials will break down at a much
slower rate in the winter. Keep adding material to the
pile and even if it freezes it will begin decomposing
again in the spring.

Will animals be attracted to my compost?

It is rare for animals to be attracted to a properly
maintained compost heap. Do not add meat, bones,
dairy products (including cheese), fatty materials, or
oils, as these are likely to attract animals. Ensuring that
green materials are covered by browns will reduce the
possibility of attracting animals to the compost pile.

Can I compost ashes?

Untreated wood or paper ashes can be composted,
but they must be completely cooled. Ashes from
barbeques, plywood, treated wood, or glossy paper
can contain toxic material that cannot be composted.
 BACKYARD
COMPOSTING
WHAT’S IN WHAT’S OUT
From the house: From the house:
• Fruit and vegetable scraps • All meat, including
• Baked goods chicken
• Rice and other grains • Fish and shellfish
• Pasta • Bones
• Paper towels/serviettes • Fat, grease, oils
• Tea leaves/bags • All dairy products,
• Coffee grounds and filters including cheese
• Egg shells, paper egg cartons
• Shredded paper (newspaper,
cereal boxes, paper packaging, etc.)

From the yard: From the yard:

• Leaves • Weeds that have
• Grass clippings gone to seed
• Weeds • Diseased plants
• Twigs (broken into • Large branches,
small pieces) roots, etc.
• Plants, plant trimmings • Dog and cat waste
(non-diseased)

For more information about backyard composting, please contact

your municipality’s solid waste management department.
 ABOUT RRFB NOVA SCOTIA

RRFB Nova Scotia is a not-for-profit corporation working

in partnership with Nova Scotians to improve the province’s
environment, economy and quality of life by reducing, reusing,
recycling and recovering resources. RRFB Nova Scotia manages
a network of independently owned Enviro-Depots in over
80 locations throughout the province, and works in partnership
with Nova Scotia Environment, the 54 municipalities across
the province, industry, and academia.

Recognized globally as an innovator in waste diversion

solutions and a leader in Nova Scotia’s waste diversion efforts,
RRFB Nova Scotia delivers education and awareness programs,
partners with municipalities and industry to develop and
implement stewardship agreements, and promotes innovation
through the development of value-added manufacturing.

For more information on Nova Scotia’s

recycling programs, contact us:

RRFB NOVA SCOTIA

Hotline: 1-877-313-RRFB (7732)
Email: [email protected]
www.PutWasteInItsPlace.ca

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.