Composting Basics
A compost pile needs a mix of greens (nitrogen-rich material like vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and fresh grass) and browns (carbon-rich material like dry leaves, cardboard, and straw). Aim for roughly two to three parts browns to one part greens by volume. Keep the pile about as damp as a wrung-out sponge and turn it every week or two to add air. It is ready when it is dark, crumbly, and smells like forest floor - usually two to six months depending on temperature and how often you turn it.