Gin trash and mixtures of gin trash were composted using a minimum of equipment and labour inputs. Questions of cotton pathogens and synthetic chemical residues were addressed by lab testing pre- and post- composting. Guidelines were developed for overcoming practical problems. Wetting the trash initially was a problem until water was applied at low rates often, timed to operate during the early hours of the morning to minimize drift and evaporation. The trash was handled so that all of it spent enough time in the hot zone within the windrow for the heat to remove pathogens and chemical residues. Work was done to develop better methods of determining the time to end composting so that immature compost does not compete with young plants for nitrogen. Guidelines are included on how to use the compost for best agronomic results.