Comments on: How to Compost: A Step-by-Step Guide https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/ Helping gardeners succeed, even in tough conditions. Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:29:59 +0000 hourly 1 By: JILLY https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-8525 Sun, 13 Jul 2025 21:34:18 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-8525 You know those biodegradable packing peanuts, the ones that dissolve in water? Can those be put into your compost bin? If so, would they be considered a brown or green? Do you compost them, personally? Thanks!

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-8203 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:39:53 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-8203 In reply to Kelcie.

Hi Kelcie! Animal waste such as goat and chicken manure is generally classified as a green material in composting.

]]> By: Kelcie https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-8197 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:20:33 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-8197 Hello Angela! Would animal waste from my goats and chickens be considered green or brown? Thank you!

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-8151 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 03:32:28 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-8151 In reply to Brenda.

Sure.

]]> By: Brenda https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-8149 Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:41:14 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-8149 Hello Angela! I was trying to research this but am having no luck in finding out if you can compost ficus natida/Indian Laurel leaves? Any info you can provide would be great! Thanks so much!

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-7883 Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:05:21 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-7883 In reply to LeAnne.

Either brown or green to start is fine. If you use cotton fabric scraps you would want to cut them into very small pieces. Cotton will take longer to break down than most other types of browns.

]]> By: LeAnne https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-7880 Mon, 20 Jan 2025 01:45:25 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-7880 Thank you! For your fist layer against the ground, does it matter if its brown or green? Would fabric scraps (cotton) be a good brown material?

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-7447 Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:27:29 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-7447 In reply to Grace.

It may not be a bad thing and you could use it to your advantage. Keeping compost from drying out it one of the hardest parts of composting. You would have some help! After your irrigation cycle would be a good time to turn the compost. If you kept on this schedule I imagine you would have great compost soon. You may want one bin elevated to keep completed compost in, but I would experiment.

]]> By: Grace https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-7445 Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:43:07 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-7445 Hello! I’m setting up to start composting this fall. I found a good location to place my bins, but the ground it would rest on currently receives the flood irrigation my whole yard gets. I imagine this is not ideal. Is it a good idea to elevate that ground enough to keep the base dry? I have the rocky dirt to do it!

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5867 Sat, 25 Nov 2023 01:16:47 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5867 In reply to Karen Shiroda.

How much you water depends on many factors. Right now I’m watering once every 5 days for about 10-12 minutes, depending on the bed and the water pressure. During the summer I water every other day. As it continues to cool down I will water about once a week. For the composting, I don’t have a lot of experience with tumbler composters. If it’s not heating up, I’d look at these troubleshooting tips. I’m guessing you need more mass to get things going. Some people do have success with them, so keep trying.

]]> By: Karen Shiroda https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5862 Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:21:40 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5862 I have been following your gardening advice and find it very helpful. I am struggling with a couple of things like how much to water the raised bed 4×4 using the grid. I just upped it to m-w-f at 15 minutes. Also, I have a turning style composter. It’s not heating up. Need to add browns?
The composter is somewhat small. Need to fill her up?
Thanks,
Karen

]]> By: Sherry https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5742 Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:18:54 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5742 In reply to Sherry.

@Angela Judd, Thank you so much!

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5740 Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:38:53 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5740 In reply to Sherry.

I first started using the buckets for in bed worm composting. As I implemented it more I realized I liked the mesh baskets better. I don’t use a lid – I use a thick layer of wood chips instead.

]]> By: Sherry https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5738 Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:54:36 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5738 Good morning! I have noticed that you show 2 different compost containers that are in your beds. The first one is a plastic bucket with a lid and holes and the 2nd one is a metal mesh basket. Which do you prefer and what do you cover the metal mesh with (lid)?
Thank you so much for all the wonderful information. We moved from Oregon 3 years ago and there has been a HUGH learning curve to gardening in the desert. You make it not so overwhelming! THANKS

]]> By: Angela Judd https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-compost-10-simple-steps/#comment-5694 Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:53:27 +0000 https://growinginthegarden.com/?p=8451#comment-5694 In reply to Audrey.

White paper is normally fine. I’d stay away from glossy type paper, advertisements, etc.

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