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Compost Materials - What to Compost More and more gardeners and homeowners are composting. The resurgence of composting, is the result of three things: The growing "go green" effort. More people are environmentally conscious. Composting keeps valuable resources, like compostable kitchen scraps, out of the waste stream. Save, and even to make $$$. Composting reduces or eliminates the need to buy fertilizers. Some people are even selling the compost they produce! Are you concerned about the quality and safety of the food you eat? Composting is great for organic gardening. Gardeners know the healthy value of clean, organic compost.    And, so you ask......... "What can I compost?" Listed below, are items you can put into your composter or garden compost pile. You just might be surprised at what qualifies for organic composting. The Right Mix To turn kitchen scraps and other materials into compost, your composting project needs the proper mixture of "Browns" (also called Carbons), and "Greens" (items containing Nitrogen). Greens containing nitrogen, get the decomposition process started, and keeps it going. Use a Nitrogen to Carbon ratio of 4 to 1. In other words, use 4 parts of green materials to every one part of brown materials. In order for the compost to decompose at a reasonable rate, there should be between 60% to 80% green materials. A higher amount of green materials can result in a gooey, ammonia smelling pile. Too little nitrogen, and the compost will not decompose, or will do so ever so slowly. Tip: The more types of materials that you put into your compost mix, the wider the range of essential plant micro-nutrients in the finished product.  Now that you understand the importance of the right mix, lets see what items are "Greens", and what are "Browns". Brown Materials (Carbon): Branches and twigs, chop finely for quicker decomposition Dead, dried up weeds Dead flowers Dead leaves Newspaper (black and white, no colored paper or colored inks) Sawdust Shells from clams, oysters, etc. Rinse and finely crush first, contains calcium. Straw or hay Wood/fireplace ash - lots of potash, alkaline pH Wood chips and wood shavings Wooden Chopsticks Old mulch - wood, cocoa shells, pine bark Plant roots. Pine cones and needles -  in small amounts, as they are acidic Peanut shells Tip: Shred materials before putting them into your composter. This creates more surface area, and increases the rate of decomposition. Green Materials (Nitrogen): Coffee grounds (it's okay to toss in the paper filter) Egg shells, they have plenty of calcium Grass clippings, very high in nitrogen Kitchen fruit scraps Banana peels, orange peels Stale bread Pasta and sauce (not the meatballs) Kitchen vegetable scraps Leftover pizza - remove the pepperoni and sausage Manures (not pet or human) in small amounts Seaweed(wash off salt, if taken from the ocean) Weeds, recently pulled and still green What Else to Compost: Brown cardboard Hair trimming, yes human hair Paper plates and napkins - white Brown paper bags Paper Towels, but not if used to wipe chemicals,oil, grease, etc.. Paper towel and toilet paper cardboard holders. Toothpicks Vegetable oil- in small amounts Kleenex Tea bags White, 100% cotton t-shirts (no colors, no synthetic materials) Wax paper- if the wax is organic Stale bread Vegetable oil - small amounts What Not to Compost: Knowing what "not to compost" as as important as knowing what to compost.   Avoid weeds with lots of seeds Bones, unless finely crushed first. Dairy products, except in very limited quantity Dead animals Fish Meats Poisonous plants like Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Poison Sumac. Treated wood, contains toxins you do not want in you vegetable garden. Walnut trees, any parts of this tree. It contains "jugoline", toxic to plants. Colored print material/inks - They can contain toxic chemicals. Colored papers Plastics - Do not toss in plastic bags, saran wrap etc. into the composter. Cooking fats, except small amounts of vegetable oil. Did You Know? Depending upon what you put into your composter, finished compost may not be pH neutral. Test the soil from time to time. More on H levels Related Topics: More on Composting - more about the composting process. Mushroom Compost - guess what it is made of???? Compost Honey Hole Buy Composters for sale online Buy Flower, Vegetable and Herb Seeds Ferry Morse seeds, America's oldest seed company with their famous "guarantee to grow". Better quality, better prices. Quality Bulbs and Perennials - A huge selection of flower bulbs and perennials. Garden Scooter - easier on your back and knees! Bird Control Shop For: Gardening: Flower Seeds Vegetable Seeds Heirloom Seeds Herb Seeds Organic Seeds / Supply Flower Bulbs Cold frame Composters Fertilizers Greenhouses Houseplants Planters Raised Beds Garden Supplies Yard & Deck: Grills Hammocks Hose Carts/Reels Outdoor Storage Solar Lights Pest Control Seasonal /Holiday: Halloween Thanksgiving Carving Stuff Decorations Foggers, Misters Gory, Scary Props House Flags Jello Molds Lights Party Supplies Costume/Makeup Other: Food Processing Kitchen/Party Supply

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