• You can compost in a decorative container.Colourful compost crock image by Shirley Hirst from Fotolia.com
  
  Composting is the decomposition of organic matter from kitchen, yard and garden waste into a nutrient-rich, dark substance improves the quality of the soil in a garden or other growing area. Equipment for composting can be as small as an under-the-sink compost bin or as large as the heavy equipment used in commercial composting operations. For home composting, a compost bin and a few tools are all that's required.
  
  

Compost Bins

• Compost bins are containers for holding the materials as they become compost. Bins, also called composters, come in all shapes and sizes. They give you a neat, contained place for the compost, and they also speed up the decomposition process. You can buy a bin or build your own. Purchased bins are generally plastic or wood. If you build your own, never use pressure-treated lumber, because it may contain toxins that can leach into the compost, and from the composting material into the soil in which you grow your plants.
  
  

Compost Turners

• Air circulation is essential for making good compost. So that air circulates throughout a compost pile, you must mix up (turn) the materials in the pile on a regular basis. A compost turner is a tool that you use to turn compost. A compost turner can be as simple as a pitchfork, or you can purchase specialized tools, such as a compost aerator.
  
  

Compost Tumblers

• Compost tumblers are a special type of bin that turns, letting you easily turn or flip the compost as often as you want, without using a compost turner. Tumblers are sometimes advertised as producing compost faster than regular bins. However, according to Mother Earth News, their tests showed that tumblers did not produce finished compost any faster than a well-managed compost bin or open pile.
  
  

Compost Starters

• If you want to speed up the decomposition process, you can purchase compost starters that contain decay-causing microorganisms. Some compost starters also contain nutrients, enzymes, hormones and other stimulants to speed up the production of compost.
  
  

Compost Thermometer

• You can use a compost thermometer to monitor the temperature of your compost pile. According to the University of Illinois Extension, decomposition occurs most rapidly between 110 and 160 degrees F.