Hey everyone! I'm looking to build a compost bin and I've heard that using a trash bin with holes can work well for this. I understand that a compost bin requires four main components: nitrogen, carbon, water, and soil. I have plenty of nitrogen from green scraps at my restaurant, but I'm curious about the best types of carbon to add. What do you suggest? Thanks!
3 Answers
It's great that you want to make your own compost! A good rule to follow is to aim for a 50/50 mix of browns (carbon) and greens (nitrogen). For carbon sources, I've found that dried leaves work wonders. They break down nicely and add a lot of bulk. You can also shred paper, but make sure it's not colored paper to avoid any chemicals. Just remember to stir it well to prevent it from matting together.
I collect dried leaves during fall using a leaf blower's vacuum function; it makes them pretty chopped up and easy to store. I keep them in garbage bags beside my compost bin for that perfect carbon layer. Just a heads up, if you're using paper or cardboard, you might need to be more diligent about mixing it in, as they can clump together.
If you have a shredder available, shredded paper can be an excellent carbon source. Just remember not to use too much colored paper. Mix in some dried leaves from last fall, and you’ll be set with the brown stuff for your compost!