Backyard Composting Solutions

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What is Backyard Composting? 

Backyard composting is a natural process that turns organic materials like plant matter and food scraps into a rich soil amendment. Leaves, grass clippings, and vegetable scraps are examples of items that can be composted in your own backyard.

Learn more about all the ways to compost and divert food waste in Cary on the Cary Composts page.

A Crash Course in Composting

A basic backyard compost pile needs carbons (browns), nitrogen (greens), water, and oxygen. Carbon is dry material such as wood chips, dried leaves, dried grass, and shredded paper. Nitrogen is fresh moist material such as fresh grass cuttings and kitchen food scraps.

Depending on how much attention you devote to your compost pile, it can take from two weeks to a year to generate usable compost. Most households can have finished compost in about three months. 

Cary is committed to supporting residential composting in accordance with community ordinances that promote safe, effective, and community-conscious practices. For more information, refer to the Town Code of Ordinances on Health and Sanitation Section 18-10 regarding composting, and check with your HOA, when applicable, regarding home compost restrictions.

Types of Compost Bins

Backyard compost bins come in all shapes and sizes from ready-made store-bought models to homemade designs. Compost piles can be left in the open air with chicken wire to prevent the wind from blowing items away, or enclosed with a lid, which may be neater in appearance and discourage animals from scavenging in the pile.

Compost bins and composting accessories are available for purchase through Cary's Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale. The sale runs annually during the month of April.

What Not to Put in a Compost Pile

Materials should NOT be composted in a home system if they promote disease, cause strong odors, attract pests or create other nuisances. Some examples are as follows:

  • Meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, foods containing animal fats
  • Human or pet waste
  • Plants infected with or highly susceptible to disease, such as roses and peonies
  • Charcoal ash contains sulfur dioxide which can harm plants