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Backyard composting requires a little bit of space, a bin, and a basic understanding of the composting process.
Compost provides a long-term source of many nutrients not typically found in Colorado’s soils. Compost also helps your soil hold water longer.
| Greens (Nitrogen-rich) | Browns (Carbon-rich) |
| Fresh grass clippings | Dry leaves |
| Garden trimmings | Dried grass clippings |
| Fruit and vegetable scraps | Hay or straw |
| Eggshells | Sawdust |
| Coffee grounds & filters | Shredded paper |
| Tea bags | Finely chopped wood chips & bark |
| Manure (plant eaters only) | Old potting soil |
| Examples: |
| Meat, fish, poultry & bones |
| Dairy products, oils, grease & fat |
| Weeds with seeds |
| Cat and dog waste |
| Charcoal or Duraflame® ashes |
| Treated wood products |
| Cat litter |
| What if… | Possible Cause | Suggested Remedy |
| Pile not composting | Too dry | Add water until slightly damp and turn |
| Pile not composting | Too much brown matter | Add fresh green matter (see chart above) and turn pile |
| Pile smells rotten and/or attracts flies | Too wet and/or too many food scraps or lawn clippings | Add brown material (see chart above), particle size of 1-2 inches will keep pile from matting down |
| Pile smells rotten and/or attracts flies | Not enough air | Turn it |
| Animals in pile | Not maintaining or turning pile | Bury food wastes and keep pile maintained and turned |
| Compost is damp and warm in the middle but no where else | Pile is too small | Collect more material and mix the old ingredients into the new pile |
| Center of the pile is dry | Not enough water | Moisten materials while turning the pile |
| Nothing is happening | Pile won’t heat up | May need moisture and more greens such as coffee grounds to kick-start the process again |
Compost is ready when it is dark brown, crumbly and when the ingredients are not recognizable. You can use compost in two stages:
(all particles are not completely broken down)
