Composting, the short version
Composting is really just letting tiny organisms eat your food scraps. You give them the right mix, the right environment, and a bit of time, and they turn it into soil.
Greens (wet and fresh)
- Fruit and veg scraps
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Tea leaves (no staples)
- Eggshells
- Seasoned food
- Meat, dairy and bones
- Citrus peel
- Onions and garlic
Browns (dry and carbon)
- Dry leaves and twigs
- Shredded cardboard
- Plain paper and newspaper
- Sawdust (untreated)
- Glossy paper
- Plastic-lined cups
Aim for roughly 2 parts browns to 1 part greens by volume.
The process
Four steps to soil
Step 1
Layer
Start with browns, add greens, then top it off with more browns.
Step 2
Moisten
Damp like a wrung-out sponge, not soggy and not bone dry.
Step 3
Aerate
Turn it every week or two so oxygen can get in.
Step 4
Harvest
Dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling means it is ready to use.
Quick fixes
- Smelly? Add more browns and turn it through.
- Too dry? Sprinkle in some water while you turn it.
- Too slow? Chop your scraps smaller and turn it more often.
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