What can I compost?

What can I compost?

Most organic materials are compostable, which means you can recycle the majority of your garden waste and some food waste at home.

It is important to get a balance of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ in your compost to make sure it does not get too wet.

Greens are nitrogen-rich items, while browns are carbon-rich. Examples of both are listed below.

Greens

Nitrogen-rich ingredients

• Grass cuttings
• Young weeds
• Nettles, but not roots
• Comfrey leaves
• Urine, ideally diluted 20:1
• Uncooked fruit and vegetable peelings
• Tea leaves and coffee grounds
• Soft green prunings
• Animal manure from herbivores, such as cows and horses
• Poultry manure

Browns

Carbon-rich ingredients

• Cardboard, such as cereal packets, toilet roll tubes and egg boxes
• Waste paper and junk mail
• Paper towels and bags
• Bedding, such as hay, straw, shredded paper and wood shavings from vegetarian pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs
• Tough hedge clippings
• Woody prunings
• Old bedding plants
• Straw

Do not compost

We do not recommend adding the following items to a standard home compost bin:

• Meat, fish, dairy products or cooked food, unless you are using a sealed hot composting system
• Coal or coke ash
• Cat litter
• Dog faeces

These items can attract pests, create odours or may not break down safely in a standard home compost bin.

Garden Organic's guide explains the difference between greens and browns and also what you can and cannot compost.