Backyard Composting

Getting Started

Backyard composting requires a little bit of space, a bin, and a basic understanding of the composting process.
Compost provides a long-term source of many nutrients not typically found in Colorado’s soils. Compost also helps your soil hold water longer.
Get the Dirt on Composting a back yard composting brochure

Backyard Compost Workshop Packet (pages 1-9)
Backyard Compost Workshop Packet (pages 10-11)
Backyard Compost Workshop Packet (pages 12-13)
Backyard Compost Workshop Packet (pages 14-15)

Compost Ingredients

Greens (Nitrogen-rich)	Browns (Carbon-rich)
Fresh grass clippings	Dry leaves
Garden trimmings	Dried grass clippings
Fruit and vegetable scraps	Hay or straw
Eggshells	Sawdust
Coffee grounds & filters	Shredded paper
Tea bags	Finely chopped wood chips & bark
Manure (plant eaters only)	Old potting soil

Do not include in backyard composting

Examples:

Meat, fish, poultry & bones

Dairy products, oils, grease & fat

Weeds with seeds

Cat and dog waste

Charcoal or Duraflame® ashes

Treated wood products

Cat litter

Remedies for When Pile Is Not Composting

What if…	Possible Cause	Suggested Remedy
Pile not composting	Too dry	Add water until slightly damp and turn
Pile not composting	Too much brown matter	Add fresh green matter (see chart above) and turn pile
Pile smells rotten and/or attracts flies	Too wet and/or too many food scraps or lawn clippings	Add brown material (see chart above), particle size of 1-2 inches will keep pile from matting down
Pile smells rotten and/or attracts flies	Not enough air	Turn it
Animals in pile	Not maintaining or turning pile	Bury food wastes and keep pile maintained and turned
Compost is damp and warm in the middle but no where else	Pile is too small	Collect more material and mix the old ingredients into the new pile
Center of the pile is dry	Not enough water	Moisten materials while turning the pile
Nothing is happening	Pile won’t heat up	May need moisture and more greens such as coffee grounds to kick-start the process again

Using Your Compost

Compost is ready when it is dark brown, crumbly and when the ingredients are not recognizable. You can use compost in two stages:

Finished Compost

Use as a soil amendment in gardens (anytime)
Use as an ingredient for potting soil
Place around plants, trees, or on lawns as a mulch or top-dressing

Partially Finished Compost

(all particles are not completely broken down)

Place around plants, trees, or on lawns as a mulch or top-dressing
Spread compost in your garden in the fall so it will enrich the soil over the winter to help your spring planting

Backyard Composting

Getting Started

Compost Ingredients

Do not include in backyard composting

Remedies for When Pile Is Not Composting

Using Your Compost

Finished Compost

Partially Finished Compost

Contact Us

Resource Conservation Division

Location

Mailing Address