Common Composting Mistakes

-Avoid placing animal products in your compost (fats, dairy, meat and bones can all go rancid and produce unpleasant odor)
-Try and keep the moister levels ideal (too little moisture can slow down the decomposition process and too much moisture can cause issues with microbial organisms)
-Ensure the correct nitrogen to carbon ratio (Carbon-rich materials: paper, dried leaves and cardboard should make up 75% of the compost, nitrogen-rich materials: coffee grounds, food scraps and grass clippings should make up 25% of the compost)
-Don't compact the compost too much (microorganisms that decompose need a constant supply of oxygen to do their job)
-Don't buy worms or any kit (these kits are unnecessary, the organisms will come naturally)
-Don't start too small (the decomposition will occur faster with a bigger mass of material)
-Use many different materials (the more materials you have the more resistant the pile is to pests and diseases, many different materials will also accelerate the decomposition process)
-Add small objects (large food scraps or large branches will not decompose quickly, cut up your larger items into smaller pieces)
-Mix up your compost (you can turn or aerate your materials to add oxygen and speed up decomposition)