Home Composting

Ground Control doesn’t just sell compost, we’re keen on helping you make your own compost.

The composting process involves four main components: organic matter, moisture, oxygen and bacteria.

Organic matter usually means plant materials but can include some animal manures. Organic materials used for compost should include a mixture of brown organic material (dead leaves, twigs, manure) and green organic material (lawn clippings, fruit rinds, kitchen waste etc.). Brown materials supply carbon, while green materials supply nitrogen. The best ratio is 1 part green to 1 part brown material. Shredding, chopping or mowing these materials into smaller pieces will help speed the composting process.

For piles that have mostly brown material (dead leaves), try adding a handful of commercial 10:10:10 fertilizer to supply nitrogen and speed the compost process.

Moisture is important to support the composting process. Compost should be comparable to the wetness of a wrung-out sponge.

If the pile is too dry, materials will decompose very slowly. Add water during dry periods or when adding large amounts of brown organic material.

If the pile is too wet, turn the pile and mix the materials. Another option is to add dry, brown organic materials.