I grew up composting at my best friend’s house. Her parents — not surprisingly — had one of the most enviably lush yards around.

I loved running out to the three-sectioned compost area to toss the food scraps in the left side, sprinkling grass clippings on top. I felt like a farmer using the pitch fork to stir up the middle section, which would send a plume of steam up on foggy mornings.

I can still remember the unmistakably sweet smell of the crumbly, black, sweet humus shoveled out of the third section when it was planting time. It was pure magic to me that eggshells and banana peels and weeds and leaves could turn so quickly into something so dark, uniform and useful.

While not quite magic, composting is an amazing process of decomposition relying on just a few simple things: air, moisture, organic waste materials and, most importantly, the thousands of bacteria, fungi and insects that live naturally in soil.

“Creating optimal conditions for these essential composting critters is the key to your compost-making success,” say Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin in their book, “The Complete Compost Gardening Guide.” They recommend keeping materials moist and turning the piles (or simply mixing up a compost bin’s contents) to aerate and stimulate the microbial activity. “Keep them working,” they say, “by balancing the compost ingredients between ‘greens’ and ‘browns.’”

Nitrogen-rich and usually moist greens include fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and yard waste such as weeds and grass clippings. Browns are carbon-rich and usually dry, including dry leaves and pine needles, egg shells and shredded brown paper bags or cardboard.

According to most sources, avoid adding pet waste, meats or animal fats; diseased plants; or anything treated with chemicals, herbicides or insecticides.

But how much green or brown should you add? Approximately half and half is fine, according to the U.S. Composting Council. No need to be obsessive about keeping it even, either. “If the pile doesn’t heat up, you know there’s not enough ‘green’ in the mix, while a smell of ammonia means it needs more ‘brown,’” the book states.

There are many different ways to create compost, and even more sound reasons to use it. Most importantly, it’s “an essential soil conditioner, richer than anything we can buy,” according the U.S. Composting Council. The following are just a few of the recommended uses for finished compost.

Soil improvement: Dig an inch of compost into a flowerbed or vegetable garden before planting.

Top dressing: Treat lawns with a half-inch of compost in the spring.

Side dressing: Apply compost as a spot fertilizer by scratching it lightly into the top layer of soil around a plant

Mulch: Spread up to 3 inches around the base of trees, shrubs, vegetables and flowers to keep roots cool, discourage weeds and conserve moisture.

DIY composting: bins, boxes and tumblers

The quickest and easiest way to try composting is to start small, and simply begin. With just a drill and a large plastic storage bin with a lid, you’ll be on your way. After drilling holes for drainage and aeration in all sides, the lid and the bottom, prop it up on bricks or rocks to allow airflow from below. Add a layer of soil to the bottom to begin, then add greens and browns, keeping it moist and shaking or stirring daily. Depending on contents, temperature and moisture level, compost can be ready in as little as three months.

For a slightly bigger bin, try using a large trash can with a lid. Drill holes on all sides, the bottom and the lid, then bungee cord the lid on tight. For easy mixing, simply roll it on the ground, then place it back on blocks or bricks when done to maintain airflow.

Compost boxes can be constructed of nearly any nontoxic material, and there are a seemingly endless variety of designs online to use for inspiration. Wooden pallets and chicken wire are just two materials that can be combined in numerous ways to create successful compost boxes. Simply nail or screw together pallets to build a box, then screen with chicken wire, leaving the top open. Again, elevate the box on cinder blocks or bricks to allow proper aeration. Add greens and browns, turn and stir to increase air circulation and add moisture as needed. A loose tarp or other removable roof can help keep heat in and prevent rain from making a pile too soggy.

You also can tumble your way to great compost. Usually made of a large container or drum, and designed with a locking hatch for adding or removing contents plus holes for aeration, tumblers cost anywhere from $150 to $350 to buy new. If you’re resourceful, however, you can make one for much less. The compost tumbler I constructed recently cost about $50 total. (See box for a basic materials list and instructions.)

Whether you use bins, boxes or tumblers, having three going at once can be a great way to ensure that eventually you have one that is just starting (that you are adding greens and browns to), one that is full and well on its way and another that is completely composted and ready to use.

Besides cutting down on waste to the landfill and enriching existing soil, the U.S. Composting Council shares two more reasons compost is a boost:

“Insects and diseases don’t seem to do as much damage where the soil is enriched with plenty of decayed organic matter. And there’s another bonus: dark compost draws the sun’s heat to warm the garden soil, making our short growing season a few days longer.”

— Reporter: laurakessinger@gmail.com