♻️ Why DIY Compost?
Every kitchen peel is a powerful booster for tomorrow’s soil. Let’s turn your daily waste into nature’s richest resource: compost. learn how to make compost at home step by step.
Home composting closes the loop: fewer trash bags, less methane, more life in the soil.
Since January 1 2024, France’s AGEC law requires households to sort bio-waste — composting is now both a civic act and a power move for your garden.
Composting turns food waste into humus that boosts soil fertility, moisture retention, and biodiversity.
(Sources: EPA, ADEME, Réseau Compost Citoyen)
🌿 Want to go further in building a self-sufficient garden?
Dive into the full guide:
👉 Permaculture & Sustainable Gardening — The Complete SeedsWild Guide
🌱 Step 1 — Pick Your Composter
Choose the system that matches your space and lifestyle:
- 🌳 Wooden bin or pile: perfect for gardens, low-tech and aerobic.
- 🔄 Rotating tumbler: speeds up decomposition, keeps pests away.
- 🪱 Worm farm (vermicompost): ideal for balconies and small apartments.
- 🪣 Bokashi bucket: anaerobic pre-composting for indoor setups.
💚 SeedsWild Selection: aerated bins, designer wooden composters, compact worm farms, and starter kits (worms + bedding).
👉 Explore: Compost Bins & Starters on SeedsWild
🌾 Step 2 — What Goes In (and What Stays Out)
Golden rule: everything once alive can compost — but balance is everything.
✅ Yes: vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, wilted flowers, dry leaves, cardboard, sawdust.
⚠️ Go easy: citrus peels, dairy, garlic/onion, oily food.
🚫 Never: pet litter, plastic, metal, glass, treated wood.
💡 SeedsWild tip: Chop large scraps smaller to speed up breakdown.
(Source: ADEME Home Composting Guide)
👉 🌿 Grow deeper with our guide: “Raised garden bed”
🍂 Step 3 — Nail the Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio (C/N Balance)
Microbes need both energy (carbon) and protein (nitrogen).
The sweet spot? C:N ≈ 25–30:1 → quick compost without bad smells or stagnation.
🟢 Visually:
- 50 % “Greens” (fresh peels, grass, coffee)
- 50 % “Browns” (leaves, paper, straw, cardboard)
Too smelly? ➜ Add browns.
Too dry? ➜ Add greens and a bit of water.
🌬 Step 4 — Airflow & Moisture
Compost = oxygen + moisture + life.
No air = anaerobic funk. Turn or poke every 4–8 weeks to keep oxygen flowing.
While the ideal temperature for the initial phase of composting is 20 to 45°C, subsequently, as thermophilic organisms take control of the later stages, a temperature between 50 and 70°C is ideal.
To increase the temperature of a compost pile, turn it weekly. This will allow oxygen to circulate, maintain aerobic conditions, and regenerate heat.
💧 Ideal moisture: like a wrung-out sponge.
Too wet → add browns.
Too dry → sprinkle water.
🔎 Reference: EPA Home Composting Basics
⏳ Step 5 — Maturation & Readiness Tests
Depending on your setup and climate, expect 4–8 months to maturity.
Ready compost = dark, crumbly, earthy smell, room temperature.
DIY Test: sow cress or radish seeds in your compost; healthy sprouts mean it’s mature.
🌿 Step 6 — Use Your Compost in the Garden
- 🍂 Autumn/Winter: spread thin layer + lightly fork in.
- 🌸 Spring: mix in before planting or mulching.
- 🌳 Trees/Shrubs: 3–5 kg/m²; garden beds ≈ 2 cm layer.
Field trials show compost improves soil structure, water retention, and yields — especially in dry regions.
(Source: Washington Soil Health Initiative)
🌿 Compost nourishes the soil — but plants sometimes need an extra organic boost.
Learn how to make your own liquid nettle fertilizer to complement compost’s slow-release power:
👉 Nettle & Homemade Fertilizer — Feed the Soil Naturally
🤔 DIY Compost FAQ
Why does my compost smell?
→ Too many greens or not enough air. Turn, add browns, drain, and balance moisture.
Can I compost indoors?
→ Yes! Try a worm farm or bokashi bucket. Keep it moist (not soggy) and avoid heavy meat/dairy.
How long does it take?
→ Hot, well-managed piles can be ready in 4 months; cooler setups may need 6+.
Does compost replace fertilizer?
→ It’s primarily a soil conditioner — it builds fertility and structure. You can complement it with organic fertilizers for nutrient-hungry crops.
🧡 Join the SeedsWild Movement
Composting is more than recycling — it’s a lifestyle 🌍
Share your composting journey, your favorite tips, or your balcony setup, and inspire others to do the same.Together, we’re building the next generation of eco-gardens — one handful of humus at a time.
👉 Follow SeedsWild on Instagram
👉 Tag your photos with #SeedsWildGarden
👉 Explore our eco marketplace
🔗 References & External Resources
- EPA — Composting at Home
- ADEME — Compostage Domestique (FR)
- FAO — Soil Biodiversity Portal
- MDPI — Composting Microbial Processes
- Washington Soil Health Initiative
🌿 Want to explore the full ecosystem behind compost, soil life, and biodiversity?
Discover the SeedsWild knowledge hub:
👉 Permaculture & Sustainable Gardening — The Complete Guide
🌿Continue your permaculture journey:
Companion Planting Guide, Raised Garden Bed, Permaculture 50m² Plan, Nettle & homemade fertilizer
