Composting is an easy, eco-friendly way to both fertilize your garden and cut down on the amount of waste that you send to landfills. It can be done whether you rent a small apartment or own acres of farmland. It requires only very basic equipment but as with most undertakings there is always special equipment available.

Composting requires four different elements:

Brown ingredients provide carbon - dead leaves, branches and twigs

Green ingredients provide nitrogen - grass clippings, vegetable scraps and coffee grounds

Water breaks all of the components down - this can be from regular rain or in a dry season you can use gray or tap water

Air keeps the leaves and other elements from matting together and rotting. It also keeps the microorganisms, which break down the material, active. If a compost pile smells it is due to a lack of oxygen.

The compost pile should have equal amounts of brown and green elements and layers should be alternated.

Items that can be composted:

Coffee grounds and filters/teabags

Eggshells/nutshells

Fruits and vegetables

Grass clippings/leaves/yard trimmings

Houseplants

Cardboard rolls/clean paper/shredded newspaper

Cotton rags/wool rags

Dryer and vacuum lint/hair and fur

Wood chips/sawdust

Fireplace ashes

Hay and straw

Farm animal manure

Items that can't be composted:

Coal or charcoal ash

Dairy products/egg yolks

Cooking fats/grease/lard/oils

Meat and fish scraps or bones

Pet waste

Plants that are diseased or have insects

Any yard trimmings, branches or grass clippings treated with chemicals

Black walnut tree leaves or twigs

Glossy papers and magazine pages

Poisonous or invasive weeds

Tips for Successful Composting:

Start your compost pile in a dry shady spot

Chop or shred large pieces before adding to compost pile

Using a pitchfork, turn the compost pile every week or so to make sure that air and moisture are evenly distributed.

Keep the compost pile moist but not soaked, if it gets really wet then use a pitchfork to open it up some in the middle to let it dry out a bit.

Helpful (but not required) Tools for Composting:

Pitchfork - Used for turning the compost pile. There are actual composting forks available which are lighter to handle but a regular pitchfork works just fine.

Compost Aerator- Helps aerate the compost pile in case you don't get around to turning it regularly. It's a pointed tool with blades that you poke deep into the compost pile to help provide oxygen to the pile.

Hose with a wide spray head - Good for moistening the compost pile during a dry spell. Of course it's more eco-friendly to use gray water or rain barrels but if neither of these are available then a quick spray from the hose will do the trick. A wide spray head is recommended so that the water doesn't become too concentrated in one spot.

Compost bin- Composting can be done without a bin to hold it but many people find it more attractive and practical to keep the compost pile hidden and contained.

Your compost should be ready to use within a couple of months depending on weather conditions. Following the above steps will help you have an unlimited (not to mention free) supply of natural fertilizer that is both healthier for you and the environment.