NJ Lawns Community

Thinking about starting a compost pile in my backyard to make my own fertilizer for my lawn. I have a decent-sized yard and generate a lot of kitchen scraps and yard waste. Is this actually worth the effort? How long does it take? What do I need to know?

ABSOLUTELY worth it! I've been composting for 5 years and my lawn has never looked better. Here's the deal: **Time**: About 3-6 months depending on how you manage it. Turning it regularly speeds things up. **What to add**: - Greens (nitrogen): grass clippings, food scraps, coffee grounds - Browns (carbon): dried leaves, straw, cardboard - Keep ratio around 3:1 browns to greens **What to AVOID**: Meat, dairy, oils, pet waste, diseased plants **For lawn use**: Screen your finished compost through 1/2" hardware cloth and top-dress your lawn. Apply 1/4-1/2 inch layer once or twice a year. It's like a multivitamin for your soil! The worms and beneficial microbes will carry nutrients down to the roots naturally.

Seconding everything SoilScientist said! I started composting 2 years ago and I've completely stopped using synthetic fertilizers. My lawn is healthier than ever and I've saved money too. The earthworms are incredible - they're like tiny rototillers working for free! One tip: if you mow your lawn and have a lot of grass clippings, leave them on the grass! They decompose quickly and return nitrogen. That's free fertilizer right there.