Basic Closed-Loop Composting

Basic Closed-Loop Composting

By Nathaniel Thomas, founder of Terra Haven 

(4 minute read)

Introduction

Did you know fall is the perfect time to start a compost pile? There are so many benefits of composting, and setup can be as simple as a single pile in the back of your yard. You can use some wire mesh and stakes to fence it in, or buy a compost bin. All those leaves, pumpkins, and garden cleanup are great additions to a new compost pile. 

Organic Matter

When it comes to improving soil conditions in your lawn & garden, “add organic matter” is a mantra in the horticulture world. Organic matter are the remains of carbon-based compounds abundant in nature. Basically, any plant or animal combined with microorganisms will break down and decompose over time. By adding the right ingredients into your compost bin, you can take advantage of this nutrient cycle and enrich your soil. 

Closed-Loop System

I love the idea of keeping all those rich nutrients in your garden as opposed to paying someone to haul it away while you drive to the store to buy fertilizer. In permaculture, this is referred to as a “closed-loop” system and is a great way to minimize input into your garden, save fuel, reduce nitrogen runoff, protect local waterways, and more.

Greens to Browns Ratio

To maintain an effective compost pile, aim for a greens to browns ratio of 3 to 4 parts browns per 1 part greens. This will help your pile both reach an optimal temperature, and prevent unwanted smells. We’ll go through each type below. 

Greens

Greens typically refers to items high in nitrogen, typically kitchen scraps, green grass clippings, freshly pulled weeds, leaves, or other garden clippings. Nitrogen is like fuel for the compost pile, allowing it to heat up and creating the perfect environment for helpful microorganisms to grow. 

Greens:

• Green grass clippings
• Green leaves, plants & trimmings from the garden (Note: be careful not to put plants that have gone to seed into the compost pile to prevent spreading through your finished compost!)
• Vegetable & fruit scraps from the kitchen
• Coffee grounds & tea bags
• Eggshells
• Manure; esp chicken, rabbit, cow, sheep, goat (Note: Cat, dog, and human manure require special handling, more on that in a future blog post!)

Pumpkin Composting

After Halloween, spent Jack-o-lanterns are a great addition to the compost pile. If you know you don’t have the time or space to set up a compost pile this year, some areas have special collections for pumpkin composting. Check out Pumpkin Smash - SCARCE or do a quick Google search to see if your town or city has a composting program and collection dates. 

Browns

Browns are easy to recognize for their color, and are rich in carbon or carbohydrate. This provides the food for all those friendly organisms. Fall leaves provide an abundance of browns, and you could also add shredded paper, or other dry garden waste. Remember, you want a ratio of 3-4 parts browns per 1 part greens. 

Browns:

• Fallen leaves
• Straw
• Twigs, bark pieces, wood shavings (moderate amounts)
• Pine needles
• Corn stalks and dried empty cobs 
• Shredded paper, napkins, paper plates, coffee filters 
• Unwaxed corrugated cardboard 
• Dryer lint
• Cotton or linen fabric 

Maintenance 

Many advise to turn the compost pile regularly, especially in the early stage of composting. This can help aerate the pile, distribute the material, and make the compost break down faster. As the compost matures, it won’t need to be turned as often, however a turning compost bin makes this process an easy task. You may also want to consider a compost thermometer to ensure that your pile is heating up to an optimal temperature, between 135-160 degrees F. 

If you don’t have the space or time to start your own compost pile, many towns have a leaf and yard waste collection and do the composting for you. In many areas the finished compost is sold, or used around the city. 

Leaf Mulching Methods – Alternative to Composting 

Leaf mulching is a closed-loop system alternative to composting when it comes to using your dried leaves in the garden. The first option is to collect the leaves into a large garbage bin and use a weed-whacker or string-trimmer to break up the leaves into small pieces. This leaf mulch can be spread a few inches thick on your flower & vegetable beds and under your trees.

This option is considered ideal by Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm, author of Know Maintenance, as a more natural choice to enrich your garden soil versus using chipped wood mulch. Whatever mulch you use, make sure not to bury the base of your tree’s trunks to prevent rot and decay! Shape the pile into a “donut” instead of a “volcano.”

An easy option is to mow over the leaves with the mower mulch setting to chop the leaves up and create a light, even spread across the lawn. In either method, chopping the leaves will accelerate the breakdown process, allowing beneficial nutrients and rich organic matter to amend your soil. Allowing the leaves to stay on the ground creates vital habitat for myriad native insects, including butterflies, fireflies, and bees. 

Post below if you have questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Happy composting!