Lazy Composting 101: A Complete Beginner's Guide, by Growing With Professor Brown on YouTube. 10 min 20 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 20 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes to set up, 6 to 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Pick a level spot with some shade and easy access. Keep it a few feet from your house and fence so animals have less reason to poke around.
Set up a bin, wire ring or open pile about 3 feet wide and 3 feet tall. Smaller piles dry out and stall, so aim for roughly one cubic yard.
Start with a layer of browns about 6 inches deep. Dry leaves, straw and torn cardboard give the pile structure and air.
Add greens such as kitchen scraps and grass clippings, then cover them with more browns. Aim for roughly two or three parts browns to one part greens.
Keep adding layers as material builds up. Bury fresh scraps in the middle so flies and animals are less attracted.
Water the pile when it looks dry, aiming for a damp sponge feel. Cover it with a tarp or lid in very wet weather.
Leave it alone and let it break down cold. Turn it once a month if you want it faster, but a lazy pile works without turning.
Check for finished compost at the bottom after several months. It should be dark, crumbly and smell earthy, with little original material left.
Fix smells or pests by adding more browns and burying food scraps deeper. Remove meat, dairy and oily food if animals are a problem.
Spread finished compost as a mulch or mix it into garden beds before planting. A 1 to 2 inch layer is plenty.
Tips and common mistakes
If the pile smells sour or rotten, it needs more browns and more air.
Chop large pieces and thick stems so they break down faster.
Keep the pile as damp as a wrung-out sponge, not soaking wet.
Wear gloves when turning the pile and wash your hands after handling scraps.
Questions
Do I need to turn the pile?
No. A cold pile breaks down slowly on its own. Turning it speeds things up and adds air, but it is optional.
How long until I get compost?
A lazy cold pile usually takes 6 to 12 months. Warm weather and a good brown-to-green mix speed it up.
Can I compost meat and dairy?
It is better to leave them out of a simple home pile. They attract animals and smell bad. Stick to plant scraps, leaves and cardboard.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
