Since I showed my new composter in my last post, I thought it would be good to actually remind myself and everyone what to compost. Of course, I’m nowhere near being an authority on composting, but whatever I know I will share, especially from my own experiences.
So what to compost?
First things first, if you plan to compost you have to know there’s two types of matter that can be composted: carbon-rich (brown) matter and nitrogen-rich (green/wet) matter. Some say the right proportions are 2:1, meaning two parts brown matter to one part green matter.
So here’s my guideline for composting the right things.
Nitrogen-rich matter:
- Fruits and vegetable kitchen scraps
- Egg shells
- Fresh grass clippings
- Dry leaves
- Straw/hay
- Sawdust
- Coffee grounds
- Tea leaves and bags
- Napkins
- Paper
- Pasta
- Bread
- Rice
- Peanut shells
- Fruit pits
- Natural fibres (cotton, linen, wool, untreated leather)
- Pet hair (or any natural hair for that matter)
- Meat/fish and oil or fat (attracts wild animals and it stinks)
- Bones
- Dairy products (smells)
- Weeds that have gone to seed or have persistent root system (I just don’t put any since I’m not sure which one is which)
- Ashes
- Vacuum dust
- Excrements of any kind
- Diseased plants
- Anything treated with pesticides
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