Composting Rate Calculator

Greens (nitrogen-rich): fruit/vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings. Browns (carbon-rich): dried leaves, cardboard, newspaper, straw. Avoid: meat, dairy, oils, pet waste, and diseased plants.

The ideal ratio is roughly 1 part green to 3 parts brown by volume (or 25-30:1 carbon-to-nitrogen ratio by weight). Too many greens create a smelly, wet pile; too many browns slow decomposition.