Keep a small container under the sink or on the kitchen counter to collect scraps destined for the pile.
Composting is one of the easiest things you can do to reduce the amount of garbage you throw out and to provide a free and readily available soil amendment for your houseplants and garden. There's no guarantee that your pile will decompose in any determinable period of time; the time it takes for food scraps to decompose really depends on your local climate. With the right care and the right ingredients, you can expect usable compost in about a year.
Composting System
If you have the space to establish a compost pile, take some time to consider which composting system would best suit your environment and your space. An open pile is probably the simplest to establish, but may not be an option if you can't isolate it from pets and wild animals. There are many enclosed systems on the market, so take some time to browse before you buy. Closed systems allow easy access to the pile and allow for aeration.
Compost Pile Needs
A compost pile needs sunlight, air and water in order for its contents to decompose into the rich soil amendment gardeners crave. A pile should get at least a couple hours of direct sunlight per day. Piles need air: By mixing wet and dry ingredients you'll create air pockets inside the pile, providing the oxygen that all those helpful microorganisms need to thrive. It's a good idea to water your pile every now and then, especially in the heat of high summer. Ideally, you'll have worms in your pile, and worms prefer a cool, moist environment.
What to Compost?
Once you start composting you'll immediately notice that you're throwing away much less garbage. That's because a lot of what we throw away can be thrown into the compost pile instead to be reused later on. Compost all vegetable-based kitchen scraps, eggshells, paper egg cartons (torn up for easier decomposition), even brown paper bags from the supermarket. Avoid products that were once part of an animal -- with the exception of eggshells -- as they will rot and attract wild animals and neighborhood pets. Chop up scraps into small pieces before throwing them into the pile.
Bad Odors
Common problems include bad smells coming from the pile and a pile that decomposes very slowly or not at all. Your compost pile should smell like rich earth, and nothing else. If it smells of ammonia, it's too wet, and you need to balance out the wet materials -- also called "green" materials -- with dry materials, which are also called "brown" materials. Toss in some egg cartons, some pine needles, some straw or brown paper bags and turn the pile repeatedly to aerate it. Continue adding small amounts of dry material until the smell disappears.
