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Composting
Yard Waste Composting
Turn your “waste” into a wonderful soil builder!
Do Compost: Grass clippings, leaves, stalks, dead plants, twigs up to pencil diameter, and most weeds.
Don’t Compost: Weed seeds and invasive weeds like ivy (they resprout!), diseased plants, pet waste, clippings treated with weed or bug killers, or food waste (Instead, try the rodent-resistant methods described in Food Waste Composting).
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Yard waste composting systems
These include simple piles, holding bins made of plastic, wood, or wire, and multiple bins where you move and turn the compost regularly to speed up the process. It takes 6 to12 months for soil creatures to change most yard waste into finished compost.
Secrets to success
For faster composting, keep your pile as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Chop up stalks and twigs. Mix “green” materials like grass clippings with “browns” like fall leaves and stalks.
Troubleshooting your compost pile
Symptom
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Cause
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Solution
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Bad smells
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Pile too wet, no air, or contains food or pet waste
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Turn pile. Add dry stalks or leaves. Remove food.
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Pile is dry
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Not enough water
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Turn pile. Add water to keep as moist as a sponge.
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Moist enough, but slow composting
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Not enough “greens”
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Turn pile. Add “greens” like grass, plants, or manure
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Slimy grass, ammonia smell
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Too much fresh grass in pile
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Leave clippings on lawn, instead of composting. Mix in brown leaves or stalks.
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Pile shrunken, but looks un-decomposed
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Top too dry, finished compost is at bottom
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Harvest finished compost from bottom. Start new pile with un-composted material.
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For more information
Call or email the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline, (206) 633-0224. Ask questions, or request a free copy of the Composting at Home Guide (PDF).
Related links
Getting Started Composting has the basics.
Food Waste Composting tells how to safely compost kitchen scraps.
Using Compost tells how to build your soil with compost.
Growing Healthy Soil Guide (PDF) has more information on using compost and mulches for a healthy, easy-care yard.
Compost Resource List (PDF) lists bin suppliers, tools, and more.
Buy Compost Bins & Rain Barrels - Seattle residents can purchase a compost bin at discounted prices!
Climate Action Now
Links on other sites
Seattle Tilth offers classes in composting and organic gardening, and home-made compost bin plans.
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