✓ What can be composted?
✓ how should it be mixed?
✓ that decomposes?!?! Really?
What can I compost? How can I make it not smell? These are two very common questions. This is the general overview to wet the pallet of learning about what is going on when organic waste decomposes in the compost pile. Follow links to gain more insight into specific areas
Browns
Things with high carbon content are considered “browns.” They often look brown and are dry.
Examples include:
- sawdust
- cardboard
- paper
- lawn clippings(dried)
- weeds
- leaves
- mulch
- pine needles
- qTips
- laundry lint
- papertowels
- tissues
- cotton balls
- toilet paper rolls
- the hair from your shower.
- dog or cat hair
- feathers
Greens
Items with high nitrogen content are called “greens.” These items are often wet looking and rot by themselves, like food waste.
Examples include:
- rotting food
- scraps or other food waste
Mix together to make awesome dirt!
The big picture is it will take more browns than greens to keep the process moving smoothly and the smell to a nice decomposing odor (think wet forest floor). Check out the deets here.
Getting the ball rolling… or the waste decomposing.
At least in our house, the greens add up quickly each week, where as the browns tend to come in big piles on occasion (like extra boxes around Christmas or piles of leaves/yardwaste in the fall). Check out other tips/tricks here.