Backyard Composting
Composting in your backyard is fun and easy! Composting is also a convenient, beneficial, and inexpensive way to handle your organic waste and help the environment.
Learn the ins and outs of composting in your backyard by clicking HERE
How to get started:
- Composting bins are available through the Town of Marshfield, at the DPW Office (965 Plain St.).
- Cost for Marshfield residents is $70 while non-residents pay $75.
Are you handy and love do-it-yourself projects? Visit Pinterest for DIY compost bins!
What is the composting process?
All organic material contains carbon and nitrogen in varying amounts. The microorganisms need carbon for energy and nitrogen to reproduce; they are most productive when the ratio of carbon to nitrogen is about 30:1 but any combination will do.
- The main thing to keep in mind as you build your pile is that dry, woody materials, like dried leaves, straw and cornstalks, are high in carbon (also referred to as “browns”) and should be layered with materials like green weeds, grass clippings, or animal manure, which are high in nitrogen (also called “greens”).
- In order to keep your compost pile from developing unpleasant smells, oxygen must be available so that aerobic organisms will thrive. The soil organisms need a moist environment. As the organisms go to work, they produce heat, which causes the temperature in the pile to rise.
- Bins are preferable to open compost piles for several reasons. They look neater, keep out pests, and help the pile hold in heat.