How to Make Compost by Paul Maupin
Greens and Browns
To make good compost there has to be an equal mix of what is known as ‘Greens’ and ‘Browns’.
GREENS are materials that are rich in nitrogen and rot down quickly. Here are some examples:
* Vegetable peelings,
* Old raw vegetables (chopped up),
* Teabags,
* Lawn cuttings,
* Twigs,
* leaves,
* Prunings,
* Plants,
* Old vegetable plants,
* Garden flowers,
* Old Cut flowers,
BROWNS are high in calcium and therefore slower to rot, they are:
* Shredded Newspapers,
* Paper,
* Cardboard,
* Junkmail,
* Leaflets,
* Shredded documents,
* Cereal packets,
* Loo rolls centres,
* Cardboard egg boxes,
* 100% cotton or wool clothing.
Neutrals add structure and air pockets to the heap so add whenever possible:
* Eggshells (crushed),
* Lint from your tumble dryer fluff filter,
* Pet and human hair,
What NOT to Compost:
1. Meat, Fish or dairy products (cooked or raw) as this may attract rats and mice,
2. Oil and fats as they cannot be broken down very easily,
3. Used Cat litter as it introduces some nasty bacteria into the heap,
4. Card with laminated plastic over it i.e. juice cartoons, (the plastic will not break down and have to be removed from the heap,
5. Very shiny magazines (same reason as above),
6. Cooked food (as it will attract rats),
7. Diseased Plants as they could introduce the disease onto your vegetable plot in your new compost.
Thank you, Paul for this very helpful list!
To make good compost there has to be an equal mix of what is known as ‘Greens’ and ‘Browns’.
GREENS are materials that are rich in nitrogen and rot down quickly. Here are some examples:
* Vegetable peelings,
* Old raw vegetables (chopped up),
* Teabags,
* Lawn cuttings,
* Twigs,
* leaves,
* Prunings,
* Plants,
* Old vegetable plants,
* Garden flowers,
* Old Cut flowers,
BROWNS are high in calcium and therefore slower to rot, they are:
* Shredded Newspapers,
* Paper,
* Cardboard,
* Junkmail,
* Leaflets,
* Shredded documents,
* Cereal packets,
* Loo rolls centres,
* Cardboard egg boxes,
* 100% cotton or wool clothing.
Neutrals add structure and air pockets to the heap so add whenever possible:
* Eggshells (crushed),
* Lint from your tumble dryer fluff filter,
* Pet and human hair,
What NOT to Compost:
1. Meat, Fish or dairy products (cooked or raw) as this may attract rats and mice,
2. Oil and fats as they cannot be broken down very easily,
3. Used Cat litter as it introduces some nasty bacteria into the heap,
4. Card with laminated plastic over it i.e. juice cartoons, (the plastic will not break down and have to be removed from the heap,
5. Very shiny magazines (same reason as above),
6. Cooked food (as it will attract rats),
7. Diseased Plants as they could introduce the disease onto your vegetable plot in your new compost.
Thank you, Paul for this very helpful list!
