Type of Material

Use it?

Carbon/ Nitrogen

Details

Algae, seaweed and lake moss

Yes

N

Good nutrient source

Ashes from coal or charcoal

No

n/a

May contain materials bad for plants.

Ashes from untreated, unpainted wood

Careful

Neutral

Fine amounts at most. Can make the pile too alkaline and suppress composting.

Beverages, kitchen rinse water

Yes

Neutral

Good to moisten the middle of the pile. Don't over-moisten the pile.

Bird droppings

Careful

N

May contain weed seeds or disease organisms

Cardboard

Yes

C

Shred into small pieces if you use it. Wetting it makes it easier to tear. If you have a lot, consider recycling instead

Cat droppings or cat litter

No

n/a

May contain disease organisms. Avoid.

Coffee ground and filters

Yes

N

Worms love coffee grounds and coffee filters

Compost activator

Not required, but ok

Neutral

You don't really need it, but it doesn't hurt

Cornstalks, corn cobs

Yes

C

Best if shredded and mixed well with nitrogen rich materials

Diseased plants

Careful

N

If your pile doesn't get hot enough, it might not kill the organisms, so be careful. Let it cure several months, and don't use resulting compost near the type of plant that was diseased

Dog droppings

No

n/a

Avoid

Dryer lint

Yes

C

Compost away! Moistening helps

Eggshells

Yes

O

Break down slowly. Crushing shells helps

Fish scraps

No

n/a

Can attract rodents and cause a stinky pile

Hair

Yes

N

Scatter so it isn't in clumps

Lime

No

n/a

Can kill composting action. Avoid

Manure (horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, rabbit)

Yes

N

Great source of nitrogen. Mix with carbon rich materials so it breaks down better

Meat, fat, grease, oils, bones

No

n/a

Avoid

Milk, cheese, yogurt

Careful

Neutral

Put it deep in the pile to avoid attracting animals

Newspaper

Yes

C

Shred it so it breaks down easier. It is easy to add too much newspaper, so recycle instead if you have a lot. Don't add slick colored pages

Oak leaves

Yes

C

Shredding leaves helps them break down faster. They decompose slowly. Acidic

Sawdust and wood shavings (untreated wood)

Yes

C

You'll need a lot of nitrogen materials to make up for the high carbon content. Don't use too much, and don't use treated woods

Pine needles and cones

Yes

C

Don't overload the pile. Also acidic and decomposes slowly

Weeds

Careful

N

Dry them out on the pavement, then add later

Sod

Careful

N

Make sure the pile is hot enough, so grass doesn't continue growing