Start Strong: What You Should—and Shouldn’t—Put in Your Compost
Composting is a brilliant way to recycle garden and kitchen waste into nutrient-rich soil food. But to make sure your pile breaks down beautifully (and doesn’t turn into a smelly mess), there are a few golden rules to follow. Let’s break down five of the most important do’s and don’ts.
✔ DO balance your greens and browns
Mix nitrogen-rich kitchen scraps, manures and lawn clippings (greens) with carbon-rich dry leaves, cardboard and straw (browns). Aim for roughly 1 bucket of greens to 1-2 buckets of browns, every time
✖ DON’T add pet droppings, meat or dairy
These can spread disease and attract unwanted pest like flies, rodents and even cats and dogs. Pet faeces can contain pathogens, including E. coli, Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii and parasitic worms. meat and dairy will rot quickly and smell foul, which can make your compost unpleasant to manage.
✔ DO keep your compost just moist
Check moisture regularly – it should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it’s dry. Too wet? Add more dry brown material.
✖ DON’T compost weed seeds or bulbous weeds
Weed seeds and bulbs typically need sustained temps of 55–65°C for several days to be killed off. Most home compost piles don’t consistently reach these temperatures so seeds and bulbous weeds may survive the composting process and spread in your garden.
✔ DO chop materials into smaller pieces
Smaller bits break down quicker. A quick chop with secateurs can speed up composting and get you to that beautiful, garden-enriching humus much quicker!
Mastering composting is simple once you know what to toss in and what to keep out. With the right balance of greens and browns, a little moisture control and smart ingredient choices, you’ll be turning waste into garden gold in no time. Stick to these five tips, and your compost will reward you with rich, fertile soil your plants will love.
Got wet and stinky compost? Learn how to fix it here!
What are those fat white grubs in your compost and garden beds? Learn more here!
Time poor? source bagged compost here
