Five tips for Great Compost
Garden weeds (not gone to seed) and plant stems are great additions to your compost bin. Compost lets you turn that vegetable matter into nutrients that future plants need.
Put it in a Bin - Keeping your compost contained helps it stay moist and warm and lets it break down quicker.
Mix It - Good compost is a mixture of Green items (grass clippings, food scraps, chicken poop - high in Nitrogen) and Brown items (wood chips, dead leaves, straw - high in carbon). If you keep this in mind as you add things to the compost, it will come out best.
Water It - Compost needs to be moist - not dry or sopping wet. A moderate moisture level allows for the best bacterial growth and material decomposition.
Turn it - Either using a tool, such as a shovel, a fork, or a compost tumbler, you should turn your compost regularly, mixing it up and adding oxygen.
Feed it - Add items regularly to the compost pile to feed the bacteria. It is a great idea to have two compost piles/ a double-chambered tumbler on the go so that you can add to the newest pile as the older one gets ready to go onto the garden.
What should go in compost: Dead leaves, grass clippings, chicken bedding, weeds (before they seed), vegetable peelings, plant stems, used tea bags, chopped paper scraps, coffee grounds, liquid from canned fruits and vegetables, and pasta or vegetable cooking water.
What should NOT go in compost: Meat scraps, dairy products, cat or dog waste, human waste, cooking oils, walnuts and walnut tree leaves, weed seeds, waxed paper or cups, and dryer lint.