Originally developed by Lasia Brown for Gardening 101 at Noyes Park.

Composting provides your garden with balanced, nutritious nitrogen. It also helps reduce food, kitchen & paper waste. With a few special materials, compost can be made at home.

Homemade compost requires high summer temperatures to decompose, so your compost bin should sit outdoors, either on a balcony or patio, with a protection mechanism from pests. The composting process requires one to four months of very warm, mildly moist conditions. Decomposition comes to a halt during freezing and very cold temperatures, which means most households will want to get a start on their composting in July, for the next year.

What Can I Put In My Home Compost Bin?

Compost requires a nitrogen source, for decomposition, and a carbon source, for moisture control, odor reduction and oxygen movement. Some examples of both sources include:

Browns (carbon-source)

Eggshells
Chopped cardboard
Straw, hay & dried leaves
Newspaper (no glossy pages)
Shredded brown paper bags

Greens (nitrogen source)

Fruit & veggie scraps
Garden & lawn waste
Coffee grounds & filter papers (no K-cups)
Fruit/vegetable peels & rinds (stickers removed!)

What Items Should I Avoid Putting in My Compost Bin?

Items to Avoid

Meat or bones
Grains or nuts
Domestic pet waist
Oils or dairy products

Organic compost starting blends are recommended, but optional.