Compost Materials
If you’ve been following me at all, you’ll know how much I absolutely LOVE compost. It’s nature’s balanced fertilizer, basically free, and keeps organic material out of the landfill reducing household waste. It’s a win-win-win.
But what goes into a home compost bin?
Let’s break it down.
Nitrogen Rich Items
Nitrogen rich items are also called the wet material or simply greens. They add nitrogen to our compost as well as help keep the bin at the appropriate wetness to break down efficiently.
Greens include:
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea leaves and bags (if a natural material)
Vegetable milks
Cooked rice, pasta, legumes
Freshly trimmed leaves
Fresh grass clippings
Manure from chickens, rabbits, cowsZ
Carbon Rich Items
Carbon rich items are also called the dry material or simply browns. They add carbon to our compost as well as help with airflow and soak up the wet from the greens.
Browns include:
Dry leaves
Small sticks and branches
Straw
Uncoated paper products
Uncoated cardboard boxes ripped up or shredded
Sawdust and wood chips (only use from untreated wood)
Eggshells
Dryer lint
Completely dry grass clippings
Items that Take Longer to Break Down
The smaller the material, the quicker it will break down. If you put a paper grocery bag into the bin, it will break down, but slowly. Tear it up, and it will be faster. But shredded paper takes very little time to decompose under the right conditions. The same goes for greens as well. A whole apple will take much longer than just the core. You can add the following items, but make sure to rip, cut or shred them before adding them to your pile.
Whole food (especially produce that has thick skin like oranges)
Thick layers of fresh grass clippings
Whole plants
Large sticks
Large branches
Wood chips
Large pieces of boxes
Root balls
Large chunks of soil
Items Not Suitable for the Backyard
Anything that came from the earth can go back into the earth. But when we compost at home, we don’t want to add things that can attract pests, contain chemicals, or whose origins are unknown.
Meat and fish (attracts pests)
Large amounts of dairy (attracts pests)
Overly greasy foods (attracts pests)
Hay (usually contains weed seeds)
Any plant treated with pesticides
Chemically treated wood scraps
Diseased or infected plant material
Dog, cat, or human or other carnivore’s feces (can contain harmful pathogens and bacteria)
Glossy paper or cardboard (can contain harmful chemicals)
The Ratio
The ratio of browns to greens is usually listed as 2:1 - you’ll need 2 parts brown material to 1 part green material added at the same time. This balances the wet and dry materials, keeps smells to a minimum, and allows balance for the microorganism, bacteria, fungi, and insects to decompose the material and make it into compost.
If you compost is smelly, add more browns. If you feel like it isn’t breaking down, you may need to add more greens or water. Overall, the compost should be like a wrung out sponge - if you squeeze it in your hands it will be wet but not drip. When it’s finished it should smell like earth.
In the next post, we’ll talk about the different methods available to home composters. Make sure to sign up for our mailing list to get notified when we post part 2 of this series.
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