Ecodiversion

What to Compost

The general guideline when it comes to compost is to balance green ingredients with brown ingredients. Explore examples and detailed instructions on how these ingredient types complement each other below.

Green

  • Bone meal
  • Coffee grounds
  • Eggshells
  • Feathers
  • Flowers
  • Fruits and fruit peels
  • Grass clippings (fresh)
  • Hair
  • Manure
  • Tea leaves
  • Vegetables and peels
  • Weeds

Brown

  • Coffee filters
  • Corn cobs
  • Grass clippings (dried)
  • Hay
  • Leaves (dead)
  • Paper (shredded)
  • Peat moss
  • Pine needles
  • Sawdust
  • Straw
  • Tea bags
  • Wood chips

Avoid using the following...

  • Pet wastes may contain extremely harmful bacteria.
  • Rotting meat, fish, fats and dairy products are likely to smell and may attract four-footed visitors.
  • Materials contaminated with herbicides or pesticides should never be used.
  • Insect-infested or diseased plants may persist in the compost.
  • Weeds with mature seeds and plants with a persistent root system may not be killed by the heat of the compost.
  • Rhubarb and walnut leaves contain toxins to insects or other plants so many choose not to compost them.

What You Can Do To Help

At Home

  • Use a backyard composter: Turn fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, and yard trimmings into natural fertilizer.
  • Reduce food waste: Plan meals, store food properly, and get creative with leftovers.
  • Recycle smart: Keep food waste and soiled paper out of your recycling bin.

Backyard Composting Tips

Tip: Aim for a 1:1 mix of greens and browns.

Greens (Nitrogen-rich)

  • Fruit & veggie scraps
  • Coffee grounds, eggshells
  • Fresh grass clippings
  • Garden trimmings and weeds

Browns (Carbon-rich)

  • Dry leaves, straw, hay
  • Shredded paper, cardboard
  • Sawdust, wood chips
  • Coffee filters, tea bags

With just a little effort, composting at home helps the environment and gives your garden a natural boost.

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