What Can I Compost?

Examples of Brown and Green Materials

For best results, follow the simple rule of half brown plus half green material. The following are some examples of each type of material:

Greens

  • Algae
  • Bone
  • Meal
  • Coffee grounds
  • Egg shells
  • Feathers
  • Flowers

   

  • Fruit and fruit peels
  • Grass clippings (fresh)
  • Hair
  • Seaweed
  • Vegetables and peelings
  • Weeds

Browns

  • Buckwheat hulls
  • Coffee filters
  • Corn cobs
  • Cotton / wool / silk scraps
  • Grass clippings (Dried)
  • Hay
  • Straw
  • Wood Ashes

   

  • Leaves (dead)
  • Shredded newspaper
  • Peat moss
  • Pine needles
  • Saw dust
  • Wood chips
  • Tea bags

Materials to Avoid

  • Pet wastes - Can contain extremely harmful bacteria
  • Meat, fish, fats, bones, dairy products - Can cause odors and attract unwanted critters
  • Insect-infested or diseased plants
  • Chemically treated wood or other materials
  • Materials treated with Herbicides or Insecticides
  • Weeds with mature seeds