There will be a direct reflection of what you put into your compost pile to how well it will make your garden grow. By making sure you are adding the right materials you can ensure your compost will be nutrient rich and balanced.
When you are composting you need to make sure you are keeping a good mix of both “browns” and “greens”, in fact it is best if you layer them as much as possible. Browns would be things rich in carbon and greens are things that are rich in nitrogen. You will need both of these as well as moisture and air in order for your compost pile to effectively break down.
Be sure and start out with your ground moistened and a layer of bulky items that will allow your pile to breathe. Small tree branches are a good starter layer. In between layers a bit of soil, and of course food products will decompose quicker and without attracting pests if they are covered with soil.
Good carbon sources would be things like:
- Egg Shells
- Cardboard
- Coffee Grounds
- Corn Cobs and Stalks
- Leaves
- Paper
- Pine Needles
- Wood Chips
- Straw
- Sawdust (from wood that has not been treated)
- Peanut Shells
- Dried Flowers
Good nitrogen sources would be thinks like:
- Grass Clippings
- Hay
- Sod
- Manure
- Vegetable Peels
- Melons
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Apples
- Bananas (even the peel)
- Bread
- Onions
- Lettuce
- Celery
- Carrots
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
Things NOT to add to your compost would be:
- Magazines
- Cheese
- Meat
- Butter
- Oils
- Milk
- Peanut Butter
- Pressure-treated Wood
- Lard
- Lime
- Diseased Plants
- Dog/Cat Feces
- Bones
- Mayonnaise
- Yogurt
- Sour Cream
- Charcoal
- Fish