(Source:  Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services) 

Composting is a great way to recycle all types of yardwaste right at home. Home composting can recycle your yardwaste and provide a free source of compost - a dark, nutrient-rich material that has many uses. Compost, sometimes called humus, is an ideal mulch, potting soil, or top dressing for a flower bed or vegetable garden. A compost pile naturally breaks down yardwaste into compost right in the backyard, saving you the time and energy of bagging yardwaste, storing it, and then hauling it to the curb or drop-off center. Compost piles require only a minimal amount of maintenance to produce a useable product that any experienced gardener will tell you is a valuable soil amendment. Organic compost loosens soil for better root penetration, improves soil capacity to hold water, and adds essential nutrients to soil.

You can compost with very little effort. Composting can be as simple as throwing organic material into a pile and letting nature do it work. A mix of carbon and nitrogen sources, such as leaves an grass, is needed to get started. Turning the pile once every month or two will keep the process going. The system is simple and requires little effort, but it will take a year of longer to produce compost.

For faster results, you just need to put a little more effort into it. By building a compost bin, turning the pile every week or two, and getting a good mix of carbon (i.e., leaves) and nitrogen (i.e., grass), a compost pile can decompose very quickly. People that properly manage their piles can break down organic material into compost in as few as three months.