Why Compost?

✅ Improve soil health, structure and the ability to retain water  

✅ Reduce the need for artificial fertilizers and pesticides  

✅ Reduce waste sent to landfill  

✅ Reduce greenhouse gas emissions  

✅ Composting is fun, easy and saves money! 

It’s easy to set-up, maintain and grow...  

1. Decide on a system that works for you. Compost bins come in all shapes and sizes, or you can build your own. Choose a sunny location outside on the dirt oron the grass. Add a layer of twigs at the base and the right ingredients to your compost and build it layer by layer, using the ADAM principles below.  

2. Follow the ADAM principle: 

Aliveness: Compost is a living system that requires bacteria, microbes, fungi and other critters to eat organic waste and turn it into nutrient-rich soil.  

Diversity: add a mix of ‘brown’ and ‘green’ materials (see over page).  

Aeration: mix the compost once a week, to speed up the process and reduce odors.  

Moisture: keep the pile at a consistency of a wrung-out sponge. During summer add water or moisture rich materials.  

3. Compost will be ready when it looks rich, dark and crumbly – this can take anywhere from 4 - 12 weeks. Scrape away non-decomposed materials and place to the side. Add the finished compost to your garden. Start the cycle again, placing non-decomposed materials back in the bin.

What can go into the Compost bin? 

Composting Basics - What You Can Compost and What You Should Pitch 

Troubleshooting  

🟢 Smelly  

Compost can smell if it gets too wet, doesn’t have enough air or is too acidic.  

Solution:  

• Add brown materials 
• Improve drainage with twigs at the base of the pile (if possible) 
• Turn compost regularly for air flow 
• Add two to three handfuls of dolomite, lime or wood ash to reduce acidity  

🟢 Not breaking down  

Compost needs a good combination of ingredients, air, moisture and heat for materials to break down.  

Solution:  

• Add equal amounts of brown and green materials 
• Add water if required(consistency of a wrung-out sponge)  
• Turn compost regularly for air flow 
• Ensure bin is placed in a sunny spot
• Add finished compost (if possible) 
• Keep materials small 

🟢 Unwanted visitors (small fruit flies are fine) 

Maggots, mice, rats and cockroaches may visit under some conditions.  

Solution:  

• Place bin on top of wire mesh 
• Cover all access points 
• Turn regularly to avoid rats nesting 
• Cover each layer of food with soil 
• Avoid adding feces, meat, dairy, bread or grains 

At The EcoFairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.