Benefits

• Adding compost to your lawn and garden helps plants absorb nutrients and increases the soil's ability to hold water, so you won't need to water your lawns and gardens as often. Composting reduces solid waste, and saves you money by reducing the number of garbage bags you need. It also lessens the amount of chemical fertilizer you use, reducing pollution of nearby water.
  
  

Location

• Compost piles can be built on the ground, but a bin will help your compost pile hold heat and moisture and keep rodents out. You'll need an area about 3 by 3 feet. Choose a spot that's at least 2 feet from any structure on your property.
  
  

Ingredients

• Add vegetable scraps, leaves, yard clippings, wood chips, paper and twigs to your compost pile. Add enough water to keep the pile as moist as a sponge. Turn your pile over once or twice a week so the air can help speed up the composting process.
  
  

Things to Avoid

• Don't compost meat, dairy products, pet or human waste, or fatty foods such as salad dressing or leftover cooking oil. If you want to use the compost on your vegetable garden, don't compost grass clippings that were treated with herbicides or pesticides.