"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
"Staycalm" wrote in message
u...
Is it useful to put shredded paper in compost bins? My compost is too
green and wet. I need to add more into it but don't have sawdust. What
else could I use?

shredded paper is good. dried-out plants/trimmings are good too - i leave
mine lying around on the ground (out of the way, naturally) until they're
all dried out & then break them up a bit (if necessary) & put them in in a
layer in the bin. you can also use dried-out leaves (esp in autumn!)
and/or
dried-out grass clippings, etc. any dried-out plant material you trust not
to be weedy & isn't too big, basically.

my compost was like yours, a bit smelly & rank & i used to need to lime it
quite a bit, but with adding layers of torn paper or dried out garden
trimmings interspersed with the layers of "soft" composting material, i
find
i am not needing to lime any more & it's just breaking down quicker & more
nicely. apparently the dried-out materials will add carbon for better
balance, as well as breaking up the continual addition of "soft" layers,
so
there's better aeration as well, which aids the process. i squirt a bit of
water on if it's very dry, to get it going.
kylie

cardboard is another very good additive to your compost. I tear up the odd
box, toilet roll inner etc and throw it in the compost. Do not add anything
that has a plastic coating unless you are prepared to fish through the
finished compost for the plastic remains. Essentially anything brown and dry
will add carbon to your compost, try straw or hay, this balances up the
nitrogen from green items such as grass clippings and kitchen waste.
Layering carbons and nitrogens will allow them to balance each other out.
Also chuck on tea bags, used coffee grounds, sea weed if you can get it.
They are all very good.

rob