Which Compost Set Up Is Right for You?

We get a lot of questions from visitors to the farm about compost. How do you make it? What goes in it? What is the best set up for me?  

We’ve tried a lot of different methods at Urban Roots and really, it’s all about getting your hands in the dirt, trying something new, and remembering to take care of this living, breathing organism (actually millions of them), that you dump your kitchen scraps into it. In this case your own trash can become your garden’s treasure! 

Kelsey here, Community Programs Director, and I’ve put together a helpful how-to-guide on choosing which compost set up is right for you.  

Things to Consider Before You Start: 

• How much space do you have? How much compost do you want to make? How quickly do you want that compost? Answering these 3 questions can help you determine which set up is right for you.  

• If you’re wanting to compost outside, it’s important to choose a level location, with well-drained soil underneath.  

• Consider how you will store food scraps in your home. I recommend a medium size Tupperware, with a good sealing lid that goes under my sink. You can also explore compost containers here. 

• Do you have access to brown materials (wood chips, leaves, torn up egg cartons, toilet paper rolls.  See here for where you can compost....

  
  

• Familiarize yourself with Green & Brown Matter and take stock of what you have access to in your home, yard or neighborhood 

  
  

Low nitrogen "browns" such as  

• autumn leaves 

• straw 

• shredded paper 

• saw dust 

• wood chips 

High nitrogen "greens" such as 

• kitchen scraps 

• coffee grounds 

• grass clippings 

• aged manures 

• plant trimmings 

And now we can explore different ways for you to get started composting at your home. 

TYPES OF COMPOST SET UPS: 

Down to Earth Composting 

• Support a Reno local company who will collect your food scraps, turn them into incredible compost, and then you get “Black Gold” at the end of the year to spread in your garden 

• This is a great option if you don’t have the time or space to have your own compost pile. Plus, it’s affordable! At just $14 a month to drop your compost off and they have a wide array of locations around town.

Compost Tumbler  

Tumbler at Urban Roots

• Pros:  

  • Great for smaller spaces, with a few people per household 

  • Keeps pests out, because it’s off the ground (ex. mice or rats) 

  • Saves your back the strain of turning compost with a pitchfork 

  • Makes compost relatively quick because it mixes up ingredients every time you turn it  

• Cons:  

  • Can be expensive running $45-$100 per tumbler. See some options here 

  • It fills up quickly. Once it’s full you want to keep turning it and adding small amounts of greens and browns to keep it breaking down. Some composters recommend having 2 tumblers so that you can keep another “pot stewing”, while the other works its magic 

  • Worms do not thrive inside, they can get too hot or too cold inside the tumbler  

  • Dries out quickly and can be challenging to keep moisture balanced  

  • Check out this video about compost tumblers 

Worm Bin 

Worm Bin at Urban Roots

• Pros 

  • Creates beautiful worm tea and compost to add to your garden after the worms eat through your kitchen scraps  

  • Great option for apartment or limited outdoor space. You can even store in your garage!  

  • Fun to take care of and a great learning tool with kids  

• Cons  

  • Requires equipment, but inexpensive DIY options are possible. Check out video here for how to build a worm bin using plastic tote bins  

  • Worms can die from heat, cold or dryness, so they need someone to take care of them 

  • Must cut food into smaller pieces for them to eat  

  • No citrus, no onions  

    
    

Compost Pile 

Compost pile at the farm

• Pros 

  • Great option for if you have a 10x10 space in your yard and want to actively turn a compost pile 

  • Least expensive option to build  

  • Works quickly if you add all ingredients at once and Directly Connected to the ground which can bring different decomposers into   

• Cons 

  • Most labor intensive to turn the pile 

  • Can attract pests  

  • Not an option for small spaces  

  • It’s best to build the pile all at once, so this means that you cannot continuously add kitchen scraps and may need to build another pile or store them somewhere  

  • Video here how to flip it!  

Want to learn all about composting? Check out our upcoming Dead Plant Society workshop series here