We’re beginning to compost at home and I’ve wondered myself, “What Can I Compost?” So, I’ve created myself a list that I will likely hang up on the fridge.

What I’ve been researching is that it’s important to have a healthy ratio of GREEN to BROWN materials. I haven’t continually read a consistent ratio, no perfect recipe. I like baking so I’ve been looking for that perfect recipe or exact science. What I’m figuring out is that it’s going to take some experience. I’ll let you know what I learn. Here are the ratios I’ve read so far:

1. Equal Parts
2. 25-30 parts Carbon (Brown) : 1 part Nitrogen (Green)
3. “Much more carbon than nitrogen”

Green:

Greens are nitrogen-rich. Have lots of moisture and break down quickly. Create heat. Too much nitrogen will end up with a stinky pile.

1. Fruit and vegetable peels
2. Citrus rinds
3. Melon rinds
4. Coffee grounds
5. Eggshells
6. Tea leaves and paper tea bags
7. Old vegetables that have gone bad
8. House plant trimmings
9. Weeds
10. Grass clippings
11. Fresh leaves
12. Deadheads from flowers
13. Dead plants (not diseased)
14. Seaweed
15. Cooked plain rice
16. Cooked plain pasta
17. Stale bread
18. Corn husks
19. Corn cobs
20. Broccoli stalks
21. Sod
22. Thinning from vegetable garden
23. Spent bulbs
24. Holiday greenery from wreaths and swags
25. Stale herbs and spices

Brown:

Browns are carbon-rich. Break down slowly, so should chop them up small. Adds aeration. Too much carbon with slow down decomposition.

1. Shredded newspaper
2. Shredded office/ school paper
3. Shredded non-glossy junk mail
4. Torn up plain corrugated cardboard boxes
5. Straw
6. Bedding from hamsters, rabbits etc.
7. Fall leaves
8. Chopped twigs and small branches
9. Pinecones
10. Nutshells (except walnuts)
11. Used napkins
12. Tubes from toilet paper, paper towels, or wrapping paper
13. Fallen birds nest
14. Pine needles or straw
15. Used paper coffee filters
16. Pressed paper egg cartons (torn small)
17. Saw dust (untreated wood)
18. Brown paper shopping bags, shredded or torn
19. Brown paper lunch bags, shredded or torn
20. Leftover peat or coir from seed starting?
21. Coir liners for hanging baskets
22. Wood chips
23. Bedding from chickens
24. Items labeled BPI Certified Compostable
25. Items labeled ASTM D6400 or D6868
26. Pizza boxes
27. Pet food

What NOT to compost:

1. Meat, fish, egg, poultry scraps (odor and pests)
2. Dairy products (odor and pests)
3. Fat, grease, lard, or oils
4. Coal or charcoal ash
5. Diseased or insect- ridden plants
6. Pet waste
7. Yard trimmings treated with pesticides
8. Black walnut tree leaves or twigs (harmful to plants)
9. Recyclable materials
10. Items labeled biodegradable
11. Items labeled Oxo-biodegradable
12. Hair or pet fur
13. Aluminum Foil
14. Cigarette butts
15. Dental floss, Q-tips
16. Plastic
17. Styrofoam

Sources:

• https://www.thespruce.com/things-you-can-compost-2539612
• https://www.thespruce.com/what-to-compost-1709069
• https://compostnow.org/compostables/
• https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/composting/
• http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/carbonnitrogenratio.html

Here is a list for you to have at home:

If you’re interested in recycling then check this out too:

Why Recycle?