I'm making a compost pile. Will I need to add dirt and fertilizer

NO, YOU DO NOT ADD DIRT, JUST ANY THING FROM THE KITCHEN, BUT NO OIL, OR GREASE OF ANY KIND. ANY AND ALL TRIMMING FROM VEGGIES, AND SOME SHIRRED NEWSPAPER, JUST A LITTLE AT A TIME, BUT KEEP PUTTING THOES VEGGIES IN. I TURN MY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. DON'T BE IN A HURRY IT TAKES TIME.

You exactly what Liztal said us what I would bo

I don't add anything to mine, just veggies, some grass clippings, egg shells. You don't need to add fertilizer. Just make sure you keep turning the dirt over at least once a week.

Some soil is alright to introduce the microorganisms and start to break down the pile. Make sure you put everything in layers like lasagna.

The only thing you need Is Worms!! They come Naturally.. They even came up on the lid of my Garden composter and the kids take them to use for bait when fishing!!! Just "Stir" it very now and then Banana Skins make Great Potassium I got Rid of Mine because families Of Rodents decided it was a nice warm place to live

Thanks all! Very helpful!

not at all. a good mix of a little of everything should cook nicely into garden gold. I avoid protiens like egg shells because they tend to attrack skunks and raccoons, but all veggie ends, leaves, coffee grinds, some grass clippings,

just give it a turn now and then.

Yep. Veggies, veggies, veggies! All the stuff that you cut away and would normally throw out, please don't waste them! When you are making a green salad, use the ends of carrots & celery, any greens and lettuce that has gone mushy, etc. Potato peels have a lot of potassium in them, and eggshells have a lot of calcium. We also put our used coffee grounds and used tea bags in too. Hey, everyone needs a little caffeine pick-me-up, right? LOL. The cardboard egg cartons work well too- just make sure you wet them so it's easier to tear them up. I've learned that the smaller the items are, whether greens or paper, the quicker the organic materials decompose. Another thing that is VERY important...make sure you mix the pile up often. I personally use a "tumbler" barrel that sits on it's own base/frame. I just go out and spin it a few times a week. Add water if it seems too dry, but don't flood it, because that causes mold. If you find worms, especially red worms, it's okay...that's a GOOD thing! You'll know that it is ready. It will be loose/fluffy and loamy -not compacted at all. I know some of my friends and family think I am strange, but you can usually tell when it's ready and that you have done everything right, is by the smell. I LOVE THE SMELL. A word I would use to describe the scent would be "Earthy"-not offensive at all. Good luck!