Composting is a simple practice that delivers big benefits for homeowners and gardeners. It enriches your soil, reduces waste, and creates an eco-friendly garden. But not all compost is equal.

For compost to truly benefit your plants, it must be healthy and balanced. This means including the right components in the right ratios. Keep reading to learn the components that make compost healthy and how to get started.

Greens Provide Essential Nitrogen

The first key component of healthy compost is green matter. These materials are rich in nitrogen, a crucial nutrient in the composting process that fuels the decomposition of organic matter.

Examples of green materials include fresh grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, and used coffee grounds. These materials heat up the compost pile by accelerating the breakdown of your organic waste. Green materials also feed the microorganisms responsible for decomposition, ensuring your compost becomes nutrient-rich over time.

Browns Offer Carbon for Structure

While greens deliver nitrogen, brown matter supplies the carbon that compost piles need. Dried leaves, small twigs, cardboard, and shredded paper all fall into this category. Browns are essential for creating structure in your compost pile and allowing proper aeration.

You can recycle shredded paper to add to your pile, minimizing your household waste while ensuring an efficient breakdown process. Without browns, your compost can become dense and smelly, a sign that it’s missing proper aeration.

Moisture Keeps the Process Flowing

Water plays a critical role in the composting process. Without adequate moisture, the microorganisms responsible for breaking down the organic materials can’t do their job.

Your compost pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge—not too wet and not too dry. If rain isn’t keeping your pile damp enough, sprinkle it with water occasionally. On the other hand, if it’s excessively wet, mixing in some extra brown materials can absorb excess moisture.

Proper Aeration Fuels Microorganisms

Healthy compost needs oxygen to thrive, as the microorganisms that break everything down require air to function. Make sure your compost pile has adequate aeration by turning it regularly.

Use a garden fork or compost turner to mix the material every few weeks. Turning adds oxygen, distributes moisture, and keeps greens and browns evenly mixed. Neglecting this step may lead to unpleasant smells, a clear sign of inadequate airflow.

Achieving the Right Balance

Creating compost that’s truly healthy requires a delicate balance of greens, browns, water, and air. Experts recommend a ratio of roughly 2 to 3 parts browns for every 1 part greens. This combination provides the ideal mix of nutrients and structure for your pile.

Regularly check the texture, moisture, and smell of your compost to confirm you’re on the right track. If it’s too wet, add more browns. If it’s dry or slow to decompose, add more greens and water.

By incorporating greens for nitrogen, browns for carbon, adequate moisture, and proper aeration, you will create healthy compost with all the right components. It’s a rewarding way to make the most of materials you might otherwise throw away.