Answer: Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition. The end product is compost – a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material. Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe. You can compost at home using food scraps from your kitchen and dry leaves and woody material from your yard.
Ingredients for Composting
The ingredients for composting include a proper balance of the following materials:
Carbon-rich materials (“browns”) can include dry leaves, plant stalks, and twigs. The carbon-rich materials provide food for the microorganisms to consume and digest.
Nitrogen-rich materials (“greens”) include grass clippings and food scraps. The nitrogen-rich materials heat up the pile to create ideal conditions for the material to breakdown.
Water (moisture).
Air (oxygen).
What You Can Compost
What You Can Compost at Home What to Avoid Composting at Home
Nitrogen-Rich Material (“Greens”) Meat, fish and bones
Food and vegetable scraps Cheese and dairy products
Most grass clippings and yard trim Pet waste and cat litter
Coffee grounds and paper filters Produce stickers
Paper tea bags (no staples) Fats, oils and greases
Eggshells (crushed) Glossy paper
Treated or painted wood
Carbon-Rich Materials (“Browns”) Aggressive weeds/weeds with seeds
Dry leaves
Diseased and pest-infested plants
Plant stalks and twigs
Compostable food service ware and compostable bags*
Shredded paper (non-glossy, not colored) and shredded brown bags Cooked food (small amounts are fine)
Shredded cardboard (no wax coating, tape, or glue) Herbicide treated plants
Untreated wood chips
Dryer lint