1. The Greens and Browns of Composting
Imagine yourself as a chef of a fancy restaurant. To cook a delicious meal, you carefully
measure the ingredients and combine them to create wonderful dishes. The same can be
said when creating composts. This time, however, instead of the people in the restaurant as
your customers, you will be answering the needs of your plants. And just like cooking, you
are given the task of putting together in equal amounts the “greens” and “browns” of
composting.
“Greens” and “browns” are nicknames which are used to refer to the organic materials
used in creating compost. The major differences between these two elements are not so
much on the colors of the organic matter themselves but rather on their basic components.
The Greens are organic materials rich in nitrogen or protein. Meanwhile, Browns are those
organic matters that have high carbon or carbohydrates contents.
Because of their high nitrogen and protein contents, Greens allow micro organism in
composts to grow and multiply. Also, the Green components generate heat in compost
piles. The Brown elements on the other hand contain the energy that most soil organisms
need. Furthermore, because of their high carbon contents, the Browns function as a big air
filter, absorbing the bad odors that emanates from the compost pile. The carbons also help
prevent organic nitrogen from escaping and also aids in the faster formation of humus from
the compost.
In case you’re stumped whether an organic waste or material belongs to the Greens or
Browns variety, one of the easiest way to test it is to wet the material. If you find the
material to stink after a few days then it belongs to the Greens variety. Again, remember
not to be fooled by color.
For example, although leaves come in green, brown, red, etc. colors, they are classified as
Browns. Leaves are high in carbon. The evergreen leaves for example have higher carbon
contents than any other leaves. However, there is always an exception. Oak tree leaves do
not fall under the Greens classification. Oak leaves contain high amounts of nitrogen which
makes them fall under the Greens category.
Other examples of Greens include animal wastes, grass clippings, and those left over food
from your kitchen. AS long as you don’t use harmful chemicals like inorganic fertilizers
and pesticides on your grass, then the use of grass clippings I is okay. Meanwhile, papers,
wood chippings, sawdusts, bark mulches and other wood products are most often than not
fall under the Browns classification.
Sugar products are also classified under Browns. These include molasses, syrups, sugar and
carbonated drinks. You could use these sugar products to activate or increase the activities
of microbes in your compost pile.
Some other Greens include vegetable and fruit wastes, eggshells, as well as coffee grounds,
filters, and teabags. For the Browns, they have hay, straw, and cornstalks. Pine needles fall

2. also under the Browns category. However, it is suggested that using too much pine needles
on the compost pile will give the Browns too much of an advantage.
Once can achieve a successful compost with the correct ratio of Brown and Green
components. Ideally, a “Browns” and “Greens” of composting ratio of 3:1 would ensure a
successful compost.
This means, you will have three parts or the pile made of components high in carbon
(Browns) and one part of it made up of nitrogen-rich ingredients (Greens).
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