If you don’t chop up the organic matter, it will still compost. It will just take longer. OXYGEN: The aerobic microorganisms we want to be active in the process need oxygen to live. A pile not ...

But compost piles must be turned regularly, and it’s hard to churn things up evenly in the confines of a box. A heap with no ...

An expert with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas offers tips for effective composting — plus, what ...

The major drawback to the pile method is that you may get some unwelcome visitors if you’re not careful. Rats, mice, raccoons, skunks, and opossums will find an open compost pile irresistible ...

Some birds and small mammals might also find your compost pile an appealing spot, especially if you're using open bins. While that might not sound ideal at first, remember that many of these ...

Arguably the best use of molasses in compost is to serve as an activator when you're starting a new pile. It's also used in anaerobic bokashi composting, which, unlike other types of compost, requires ...

Some food scraps, like meat and dairy, shouldn’t be composted in an outdoor bin, but can you compost bread? Most types of ...

beekeepx / Getty Images Gardeners often assume outdoor compost piles stop working in cold weather, but beneficial microbes can continue to break down compost all winter. The problem is that ...