Compost Ingredients

Coming up with your list of browns and greens for your compost materials may seem daunting, but this list should clear up most questions about whether or not your materials are right for a compost heap. First, however, even without a list, you can judge your compost materials with this set of questions.

  • Is the material free of chemicals?
  • Is the material without disease?
  • Will the material biodegrade or breakdown in my compost heap?
  • Will the material make nutrient rich compost?
If you do not answer yes on all points, leave the material out of your compost heap. The only other concern is keeping your C/N ratio in balance.
  • Green Compost Materials
      Dead houseplants compost well (without thorns)
    • Grass clippings (watch your compost C/N ratio)
    • Weeds (that have not set seed or do not take root easily from stem)
    • Dead flower heads
    • Manure is excellent for compost (chicken,horse,cow)
    • Pet cage waste including paper (gerbils, hampsters, etc)
    • Kitchen vegetable scraps (buried in the compost heap to avoid attracting rodents)
    • Fresh water aquarium waste (algae, plants, the water if you need more moisture in your compost heap)
    • Eggshells (in a pinch, wash out the contents well)
  • Brown Compost Materials
    • Dried leaves (stockpile leaves for year round browns for your composting needs)
    • Pine needles (small amounts, mulch rest)
    • Straw (not hay, hay contains seeds that could grow in your compost)
    • Twigs (chipped)
    • Hedge trimmings (chipped)
    • Stalks (sunflower, corn)
    • Dried bean plants
    • Dry tomato and potato vine
  • Fair/Poor Compost Materials (when desperate for browns)
    • Shredded black and white newsprint composts fairly
    • Shredded cardboard (avoid matting of your compost pile by aerating)
    • Small amounts of sawdust
    • Small amounts of hair
    • Wood ash (very small amounts)
  • Avoided Compost Materials
    • Diseased or blighted plants infect your compost
    • Domestic pet manure (dog,cat,reptile,pig)
    • Greens or browns in the street (poisons your compost with petrol chemicals and heavy metals)
    • Animal products (meat,bones,dairy create hideous smelling garbage heaps of your compost)
    • Colored/color printed paper
    • Weeds that root easily from stem (bindweed,Canada thistle)