Components of a Compost Bucket

Composting is a simple process for you, but an advanced process for nature. It can be a great benefit to a household or garden, improving the quality of your plants and produce, helping the environment and naturally getting rid of your household waste. The four basic ingredients used in equal parts for composting are nitrogen, carbon, water and air. There are virtually hundreds of items that qualify as the nitrogen or carbon elements of composting. After layering these types of items, all you need is time to encourage the composting.

Carbon

Carbon materials refer to dry, brown, carbon-based materials, usually from the landscape such as leaves and twigs. This includes sawdust, paper napkins, wood ashes, coffee or tea grounds, hair, paper shreds, wood branches, paper plates and cups broken up. Chop up large wooden branches or pieces to 1 foot at the largest.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen materials refer mostly to green material from the landscape as well as the household. This includes landscape clippings such as leaves, shrubbery and dead plants and grass clippings, leftover food scraps, vegetable and fruit trimmings or peels, rinds, leftover spices, manure, eggshells, pine needles, kelp and hops. Bury food scraps deep to avoid pests or odors in between layers of nitrogen or carbon.

Water

Water is essential to composting because composting cannot be done without it. If the bin is too dry, the components will not compost. If you can't tell whether your compost is wet enough, squeeze a fistful and see if a few drops come out. If not, add some water, distributing it down the sides so it hits all composting components equally.

Air

Air is as important as water when composting. This is so that the bacteria can live and work to create compost. Use a pitchfork or rake to fluff up your compost pile regularly, at least once or twice a week to distribute. When you add ingredients such as carbon, water and nitrogen, try to layer it.