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Print | YORK REGION>Services>Garbage and Recycling |
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Backyard Composting |
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What is composting?
Composting is the natural breakdown of food and yard waste into a nutrient-rich material which can be added to your gardens. Click here to access a video on the ins and outs of backyard composting.
Why compost?
Soil Enrichment: Compost improves soil structure to enhance plant growth (similar to peat moss).
Water Conservation: Compost helps soil retain moisture which reduces the need for watering.
Waste Reduction: Composting can reduce your household waste by 30%. If everyone composted, it would dramatically reduce the amount of household garbage Regional residents landfill.
Prevent Plant Disease: Compost contains natural antibiotics that suppress disease in plants.
How do I compost?
- Choose a sunny location (not too sunny or will dry out) with good drainage for your composter.
- Place a base (i.e., chicken wire) on the ground and set the composter on top of the base.
- Place kitchen scraps (i.e., greens - materials high in nitrogen such as vegetables, fresh manure or grass) with yard waste (i.e., browns - materials high in carbon such as dried leaves) in alternating layers and turn regularly.
- Place some "finished compost" or garden soil in a thin layer (2.5 cm or 1 inch) over top of kitchen waste to help speed up the process, reduce the risk of odours and allow for air movement and drainage.
- Your compost is ready when the texture is dark and crumbly and it has a pleasant earth-like smell. It will normally take a year or more.
What can I compost?
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Yard Waste
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Kitchen Scraps
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Other
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What can't I compost in my backyard?
| Meats | Dairy products | Salad dressing |
| Bones | Walnut shells and leaves | Leftover cooking oil |
| Fish | Weeds with mature seeds | Plants infected with disease |
| Dog or Cat Waste | Fatty foods (e.g. cheese) | Rhubarb leaves and other toxic plants |
Composting Tips
- Always keep your compost material as moist as a damp sponge.
- Chop waste into smaller bits for faster decomposition.
- Don't add thick layers of any material, particularly grass; mix it with other material instead.
- You can compost through the winter. The composting process slows down but speeds up again in the spring.
Get it Right
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Symptoms |
Problem |
Solution |
| Compost has a bad odour |
Not enough air
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Too wet |
Turn it to aerate
OR
Add dry materials |
| Process appears too slow |
Compost is too dry
OR
Compost is frozen
OR
Poor carbon to nitrogen ratio |
Moisten and mix thoroughly
OR
Decomposition will continue in the spring
OR
Add greens (nitrogen) or browns (carbon) as required |
| Compost is too wet | Poor drainage or soaked from rainfall | Move to a location with proper drainage and put a lid on it |
| Insects or animal pests | Meat/fish or fatty foods in composter | Avoid adding these; dig in all food wastes and cover with soil |
| Damp and sweet smelling | Lack of nitrogen | Mix in greens (nitrogen) |
Where can I get a composter?
Buy one - composters are sold at various garden centres and nurseries throughout the Region. Composters may also be available from your local municipality.
Contact Us
For more information, please e-mail us at: EnvironmentalServices@york.ca or call the Region at 905-895-1207 for waste management information.
