Related: The Easiest Way to Start Composting Now

TIP: Storing Compost in the Kitchen

To store kitchen waste until you’re ready to transfer it to your composter, keep a container with a lid and a handle under the sink. A stainless steel compost pail with an carbon filter or a ceramic model will cut down on odors. If you don’t mind occasional smells, use an old ice-cream pail. Chop up any large chunks before you toss them in.

A Word About Yard Waste

With yard and garden wastes, different composting materials will decompose at different rates, but they will all break down eventually. If you want to speed up the composting process, chop the larger material into smaller pieces. Leaves and grass clippings are also excellent for compost but should be sprinkled into the bin with other materials, or dug in to the center of the pile and mixed. Avoid putting them on in thick layers – they will mat together and reduce aeration, which slows the composting process.

Adding garden soil to your compost will help to mask any odors, and microorganisms in the soil will accelerate the composting process.

Composting Leaves

If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out.

The leaf pile should be at least 4′ in diameter and 3′ in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly.

The pile will compost in 4 – 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients. For more information, read Use Autumn Leaves to Keep Your Compost Working Through the Winter

TIP: Leaf-Mould Tea

Use leaves to make a nutritious “tea” for your plants. Simply wrap a small pile of leaves in burlap and immerse in a garbage can or large bucket of water. Leave for three days, then remove the “tea bag” and dump contents into the compost. Scoop out the enriched water with a smaller bucket and use to water your plants and shrubs.

Related: 10 Pro Composting Tips From Expert Gardeners