How to Compost Food Grounds in Your Compost Pile

Backed by a study from Andrew Carpenter at Northern Tilth, LLC

Mill makes composting your food at home faster and cleaner, but a quick reminder that Food Grounds are not compost—yet! Unlike regular food scraps, they compost faster and give you more control. Plus, they're "shelf-stable" for up to six months, letting you decide when you’re ready to make use of your Food Grounds.

Benefits of Food Grounds for Composting

• Speed: Small particle size speeds up the process.

• Control: Start your compost pile by mixing all the materials at once. No need to add scraps gradually.

• Efficiency: A pound of Food Grounds packs the same punch as about four pounds of unprocessed food waste thanks to nutrient concentration.

Recipe for Success

Successful composting is all about the right mix. Here’s what you need:

• Fresh Organic Matter: Blend your Food Grounds with brown materials like dead leaves or wood shavings for an optimal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

• Moisture and Air: Keep your compost moist and fluffy to foster a great environment for microbes.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Choose Your Materials

• Mixing your Food Grounds with mostly brown materials, like leaves or wood chips? Use 1 part Food Grounds to 10 parts brown materials

• Mixing your Food Grounds with both green and brown materials? For example, grass clippings, green vegetation, and twigs or wood chips? Use 1 part Food Grounds to 14 parts green/brown material mixture.

2. Check the Moisture

• Use the squeeze test. If the material forms a damp ball without dripping water, it’s just right. If it’s too dry, add water; if too wet, add more dry materials.

3. Monitor and Maintain

• After building your pile, check the temperature. It should rise to around 130° within 24 hours and stay warm for at least a week.

• When the temperature drops, turn the pile to reintroduce air. (Microbes need air, just like us!)

• Repeat until the pile no longer heats up after turning.

When Is Your Compost Ready?

It’s ready when it’s no longer heating up and has turned a uniform brown or black. Mix it into your garden soil, use it as a top layer, or incorporate it into potting soil. It's hard to use too much compost, so feel free to be generous!

Discover more ways to use Food Grounds here.