Home Composting Step by Step

Build an aerobic, odour-free home compost system using the 2:1 brown-to-green ratio, moisture squeeze test, and turning schedule.

1. The Situation

You are dealing with Wet, slimy, foul-smelling compost bins or dry heaps that never break down. Across South African gardens, the most expensive mistake is buying random fertilisers, sprays, or replacement plants before confirming the physical root-zone cause. In this Lawn Order guide, we walk through the exact field observation needed to verify Too many wet nitrogen greens (grass clippings/veg peelings) without enough dry carbon browns (dry leaves/shredded cardboard) and airflow. Look first at where the symptom starts—along hot concrete edges, in shaded south-facing corners, or across compacted traffic lines—and compare that spot with a healthy reference area nearby.

2. Root-Cause Diagnosis & Regional Context

Too many wet nitrogen greens (grass clippings/veg peelings) without enough dry carbon browns (dry leaves/shredded cardboard) and airflow. Our corrective goal is: Layer 2 parts dry browns to 1 part fresh greens by volume, keep moisture like a wrung-out sponge, and turn every 10–14 days. Before applying any product, check three variables: (1) root-zone moisture at 8–10 cm depth, (2) sunlight and airflow hours, and (3) mechanical stress from mowing or foot traffic. Regional context: In dry Highveld winters, water the heap lightly when turning; in wet Cape winters, cover the top with hessian or a lid to prevent waterlogging. Safety note: Never add meat, dairy, dog/cat faeces, diseased plants, or lawn clippings treated with persistent broadleaf herbicides.

Long-Term Prevention

Turn this fix into a calm monthly habit. Record the date, the measurement you took, and the response after 7 days in your Lawn Order Garden Dashboard. By maintaining consistent mowing heights, 60 mm mulch layers in beds, and calibrated morning watering intervals, you prevent recurring stress cycles before they become visible emergencies.

Steps

  1. Place your bin directly on bare soil in partial shade and lay a 10 cm base of coarse twigs for bottom drainage and airflow.
  2. Alternate 10 cm layers of dry carbon browns (autumn leaves, shredded brown cardboard, woody prunings) with 5 cm layers of nitrogen greens (veg scraps, coffee grounds, untreated lawn clippings).
  3. Perform the squeeze test: a handful of compost should feel damp like a wrung-out sponge without dripping excess water.
  4. Turn with a garden fork every 2 weeks to aerate; harvest dark, earthy-smelling compost from the bottom after 8–12 weeks.