Compost is the closest thing gardening has to free money: it turns scraps into the rich, living soil your plants crave, cuts waste, and closes the loop. In a community garden, a shared compost system pays for itself many times over. Here's how to run one that works and doesn't smell.
The simple recipe: greens + browns + air + water
- ›Greens (nitrogen): fresh scraps, grass clippings, spent plants.
- ›Browns (carbon): dry leaves, straw, cardboard, wood chips.
- ›Air: turn the pile so it breathes.
- ›Water: keep it as damp as a wrung-out sponge.
Aim for roughly two to three parts browns to one part greens. Too wet and smelly? Add browns and turn it. Too dry and nothing's happening? Add greens and water.
Set it up for a shared garden
Use three bins or bays — one filling, one cooking, one finished — so there's always compost ready. Post a clear sign of what's allowed to avoid problem materials.
Keep out of the pile
No meat, dairy, oily food, pet waste, or diseased plants — these cause smells, pests, or spread problems. Keep it to plant matter and clean scraps.
Make it a shared habit
Assign a compost lead and add "turn the pile" to your work-day tasks. A shared sign-up makes it easy to rotate the chore — the same way you'd cover watering.
WeAllGarden keeps your garden's shared chores organized for free. Get started.