Hennepin County Environment and Energy News
612-348-3777 • environment@hennepin.us www.hennepin.us/composting
701 Fourth Ave. S., Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Contact: Alisa Reckinger, Environment and Energy, 612-348-4788, alisa.reckinger@hennepin.us
Last updated: January 2016
Subject: Backyard composting
Sample Newsletter Article
Backyard composting
Composting is a microbial process that converts waste from your kitchen and yard into a
nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch. You can compost organic material including fruit and
vegetable peelings, grass clippings and leaves.
As much as 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. for human consumption is wasted.
Composting in your backyard reduces the amount of food waste your household produces,
reduces the amount of water and fertilizer required for your yard, improves soil quality, and
supplies essential nutrients for plant growth.
What is compost?
There are four basic ingredients for good compost: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and moisture. For
backyard composting, this translates to a proportion of three parts carbon (brown materials) to
one part nitrogen (green materials). Given this “diet,” microorganisms can make short work of
your compost.

Browns (3 parts carbon): dried grasses, leaves, straw, sawdust, twigs

Greens (1 part nitrogen): coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, green
leaves, plant trimmings
Steps to backyard composting
1. Get a bin: To help you get started with backyard composting, Hennepin County sells compost
bins at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park and at seasonal events. Learn
more at www.hennepin.us/composting. Many lawn and garden stores also sell compost bins, or
you can search online for options for making a compost bin yourself with a few materials and
tools.
2. Find a place for your compost bin: Choose a place in your yard where your bin is easily
accessible and gets some sun to heat up your pile. Locating your bin in full sun will heat up the
compost pile faster but will dry it out more often, requiring periodic watering. Some shade will
prevent this. You should have enough room around the bin to allow you to turn the compost
and a water source nearby in case you need to add moisture. Each city has its own ordinances
about composting, so check with your city recycling coordinator for details concerning your local
laws.
3. Layer your materials: Start your pile with a 6-inch layer of brown materials, such as twigs and/or
cornstalks. This will help elevate your pile and allow air to circulate at the base of the pile. Then
alternate layers of brown materials and green materials. Add a few layers of garden soil or
finished compost, which contain the microorganisms required to speed up decomposition. Add
a little water to dampen the pile, and you are on your way!
4. Maintain your compost pile: As your compost pile begins the decomposition process, the
temperature of the pile will begin to rise, especially in the center. A well-built pile may reach
temperatures of 130°-160° F in just a few days. The pile will begin to cool in four to five days,
and a depression may appear in the middle of the pile. At this point, it is time to turn the pile.
Use a garden fork to turn the outside of the pile inward. Steam may rise from the pile – this is a
sign that the decomposition process is working! If the pile is dry, add a small amount of water. If
it is too wet, add some dry materials such as dry leaves or cornstalks. Cover the pile with a layer
of brown materials, soil or compost (to ensure any food scraps are buried), and it will start to reheat.
5. Use your finished compost: Under warm conditions, a well-tended compost pile will be finished
and ready for use in about 2-4 months. Left untended, a bin may take a year to decompose. A
finished compost pile is about half its original size, is loose, dark and crumbly, and smells good –
like fresh soil. None of the materials that went into the compost pile should be identifiable.
Another sign that your pile is fully composted and ready for use is when it no longer heats up.
Use your finished compost to add nutrients to the soil in your lawn or garden.
Learn more about how to compost in your backyard with Hennepin County’s Home Composting
Instructions (PDF). For more information, visit www.hennepin.us/composting or contact
Hennepin County Environment and Energy at environment@hennepin.us or 612-348-3777.
Sample Web Story
Backyard composting
Composting is a microbial process that converts waste from your kitchen and yard into a
nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch. You can compost organic material including fruit and
vegetable peelings, grass clippings and leaves. As much as 40 percent of food produced in the
U.S. for human consumption is wasted. Composting in your backyard reduces the amount of
food waste your household produces, reduces the amount of water and fertilizer required for
your yard and improves soil quality and supplies essential nutrients for plant growth.
There are four basic ingredients for good compost: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and moisture. For
backyard composting, this translates to a proportion of three parts carbon (brown materials) to
one part nitrogen (green materials). Given this “diet,” microorganisms can make short work of
your compost.
There are four basic ingredients for good compost: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and moisture. For
backyard composting, this translates to a proportion of three parts carbon (brown materials) to
one part nitrogen (green materials). Given this “diet,” microorganisms can make short work of
your compost.

Browns (3 parts carbon): dried grasses, leaves, straw, sawdust, twigs

Greens (1 part nitrogen): coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, green
leaves, plant trimmings
To get started with composting:
1. Get a bin at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park or at a lawn and garden
store.
2. Find a place for your compost bin where the bin is easily accessible, gets some shade and is
close to a water source.
3. Layer your materials with browns and greens to help elevate your pile and allow air to circulate
at the base of the pile.
4. Maintain your compost pile and notice the temperature rise. A well-built pile may reach
temperatures of 130°-160° F in just a few days and a depression may appear in the middle of the
pile. Use a garden fork to turn the outside of the pile inward. Steam may rise from the pile – this
is a sign the decomposition is working! Turn the compost pile about once a week.
6. Use your finished compost. Under warm conditions, a well-tended compost pile will be finished
and ready for use in about 2-4 months. Left untended, a bin may take a year to decompose. A
finished compost pile is about half its original size, is loose, dark and crumbly, and smells good –
like fresh soil. Use your finished compost to add nutrients to the soil in your lawn or garden.
Learn more about how to compost in your backyard with Hennepin County’s Home Composting
Instructions (PDF). For more information, visit www.hennepin.us/composting or call Hennepin
County Environment and Energy at 612-348-3777.
Sample Social Media Posts
Connect with Hennepin County Environment and Energy on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/hennepinenvironment and Twitter at www.twitter.com/hennepinenviro
(@hennepinenviro).
Facebook:
You can compost organic material including fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings and
leaves in your backyard. Learn more at www.hennepin.us/composting.
Turn your fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, plant trimmings and more
into usable soil amendment with backyard composting. Learn how to start your own compost
pile.
As much as 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. for human consumption is wasted.
Composting in your backyard reduces the amount of food waste your household produces
Learn more about how to compost in your backyard with Hennepin County’s Home Composting
Instructions (PDF).
Compost bins are for sale for $45 at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park
during regular facility hours. Get one today to start composting!
Twitter:
Composting converts waste from your kitchen and yard into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or
mulch. Learn more.
Learn more about how to compost in your backyard with Hennepin County’s Home Composting
Instructions (PDF).
Compost bins are for sale for $45 at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park
during regular facility hours.
As much as 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. for human consumption is wasted.
Composting in your backyard reduces the amount of food waste your household produces
Additional Promotional Materials
How to compost in your backyard (PDF)