see the disclosure page for details. All 100 items on the list are organic materials containing carbon and nitrogen, and will decompose at varying rates, depending on how well you keep your compost. Essentially, composting comes down to balancing two components: nitrogen and carbon. We’ve compiled two charts of what you can and cannot compost and why. The Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio. I think the second sentence is correct, based on everything else in the site, but the first sentence was confusing to see. Bugs in the compost are normal, and help with the decomposition process. Anything below that will take a long time to break down. How To Compost: Everything You Need To Know To Start Composting, And Nothing You Don't! Nitrogen – These materials are known as the “greens” in your compost bin and include things like grass clippings, kitchen scraps and coffee grounds. Since organisms use about 30 parts carbon for each part of nitrogen, an initial C:N (available quantity) ratio of 30 promotes rapid composting and would provide some nitrogen in an immediately available form in the finished compost. Save your nutshells and peanut hulls – they’ll add carbon to the compost. C/N Ratio. Seaweed is an excellent source of nutrients for your compost pile and future plants that you will spread it on. Considering that this is an extensive list, we are certain that you will be able to find the right material to compost with. Knowing what's safe to throw in your composting bin, and what should stay out, can be confusing. It seems like every source has their tried and true “recipe” for creating the perfect compost. Basically, for every pound of food scraps you put in your compost bin, you will want to put about a pound of leaves, newspaper or combination of other carbon rich materials in as well. Chicken/rabbit manure Nitrogen Excellent compost ‘activator’, use in moderation. It is the combination of materials that creates the ideal climate for compost microbes-a C:N ratio of 30:1. If there is too much carbon (browns), decomposition will slow down. These ratios represent comparative weights. Accelerators. Coffee grounds and used filters. By now, after reading the article you will know that the optimal ratio between carbon material and nitrogen material for getting out good compost is 25:1 - 30:1. There are some general guidelines you should try to stay within, though that will help keep the process running smoothly. Materials that fall into the nitrogen category are still higher in carbon than nitrogen. Just as you could make a virtually unlimited number of different sandwiches that would all be edible, you can make compost in any number of ways and it will still turn out fine in the end. You know how a banana peel is kind of wet and heavy, but dry leaves are really lightweight? To get started here are a few tips on things to remember with composting: Although there is no perfect recipe for creating compost, there is one rule of thumb that generally works the best. Well, according to the USDA, the ideal carbon to nitrogen rate for optimal microbial action in a compost pile is between 20:1 and 40:1, with 24:1 being the absolute sweet spot. Here's a list to make it easy to compost, adapted from the EPA, … Grass trimmings are the quintessential compost ingredient. Coffee grounds are a good source of kitchen waste rich in nitrogen. straw, newspaper, dried manure). What’s Brown – A Carbon Source for Compost High carbon materials tend to be brown and dry. If there's too much nitrogen, the microorganisms can't use it all and the excess is lost in the form of smelly ammonia gas. I’ve also heard that I’m not supposed to use the slick ad sheets. 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