Soil & compost
How many browns to greens in a compost pile?
Roughly two to three parts browns to one part greens by volume, and a pile at least three feet cubed before it will heat.
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How this works
A “part” is any container used for both — a bucket, a wheelbarrow, an armful. Greens: fresh clippings, kitchen scraps, manure. Browns: dry leaves, straw, cardboard. Two to three browns per green, and a pile of 3×3×3 ft or more, is what heats.
Questions people ask
Why is my compost not heating up?
Nearly always too small, too dry, or too many browns. A pile under a cubic yard loses heat faster than it makes it. Wet it to a wrung-out-sponge feel and add greens.
Why does my compost smell like ammonia?
Too many greens. That smell is nitrogen leaving as gas, which is fertility escaping. Mix in browns until it stops.
Can I compost through winter?
A big enough pile keeps working through a Missouri winter; a small one freezes and waits. Build it larger going into autumn and bank the outside with leaves.