
20 Things to Add to your Composting Pile
What is composting?
Composting, in general, is the organic matter that has been decomposed into a soiled conditioner for agricultural needs.
If you’re new to the world of composting one thing you’re probably wondering is, “what are some things I can add to my compost pile?” When it comes to composting there are two basic categories that the materials you’ll use fall into. Greens and browns are otherwise known as nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich material.
Greens (Nitrogen-Rich Materials)
Greens or nitrogen-rich materials are the first category vital to producing a compost pile. These type of materials tend to contain a lot of moisture and break down quickly making them a viable addition to your compost pile. Since most of the materials listed in this category are plant-based and contain nitrogen, we call them “greens.”
Here are a few things to consider adding to your greens pile:
Corn Cobs
Cooked plain pasta or rice
Tea bags/loose leafs
Fruit & vegetables
Coffee grounds
Seaweed
Stale bread
Eggshells
Old or unused spices
Browns (Carbon-Rich Materials)
Browns or the carbon-rich materials are the second vital category in producing a composting pile. Unlike greens which break down quickly, these type of materials tend to break down more slowly. When adding browns to your pile it’s always a good idea to make sure the pieces are fairly small. You can do this by shredding, chopping, or cutting the material.
Here are a few things to consider adding to your browns pile:
Leaves
Used paper coffee filters
Used brown paper lunch bags
Shredded newspaper
Raffia ribbon
Twigs & small branches
Pine cones
Sawdust from untreated wood
Used napkins
Cardboard
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