paper

[jkkfam89]

Ok, well I have a lot of shredded paper at work. I was wondering if I should add that to the BROWNS compost pile?

[jkkfam89]

Thank you! I was thinking I had to create two pile! That helps a lot.

[rainbowgardener]

The point is that you need to have a mixture and balance of browns and greens for good compost. Neither one of them makes good compost separately. But yes, shredded paper makes a good brown, when mixed with weeds, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and other greens.

[gixxerific]

Yes it will work I even asked for a shredder for my birthday for just that reason. My pile is heating up good. It is a mix mainly of grass and paper (shredded of course). There is also whatever garden and kitchen scraps as well as coffee grounds, fireplace ashes and bottles of urine I save for that reason as well.

Just remember to keep it as diversified as you can that will give you the most, obviously, diverse compost.

I just happen to have this link open from Florida about composting so here you go.
https://www.compostinfo.com/tutorial/ElementOfComposting.htm

[Gary350]

I never put news paper in my compost because I have always heard the ink contains lead.

I don't put cardboard in my compost either because it containes a lot of glue. I have no idea what is in glue so I'm not sure I want that in my garden.

[gixxerific]

THE INK DOES NOT CONTAIN LEAD!

Come on I'm sorry but maybe in the 80's or before but all of the US's papers are soy based ink.

There is little threat of dermal absorption of ink or its ingredients once the ink is dry because the ink has achieved its stable state. The ingredients that were potentially absorbable become dry and are no longer able to be absorbed. Lead, which can be absorbed through the skin, was banned as an ingredient in ink by the EPA in 1985 and is, therefore, no longer a threat. Stall trials concluded that the ink rub-off from printed newsprint was not a concern for animals.

From
https://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0122.html

[rainbowgardener]

You are right all US newspapers are printed on soy based inks and have been for years now.

But paper is a brown regardless of color -- OK that was a joke!!


It is a wood product and therefore high carbon. Whether or not it has been bleached doesn't change that.

Even though it was a joke, we really should quit calling them "greens" and "browns" it has nothing to do with color - manure and coffee grounds are both very "green"

Try soft/moist vs hard/dry.

[jkkfam89]

Thanks for all the great info.

Very helpful link

Rainbow: what if the paper was white, then after use it is brown? lol

[Toil]

I like the green/brown, as it is right much more often than wrong.

I don't think there is any such classification that will always be correct. 25-30:1 C:N is not easy to express in two words, given the differences between ingredients.

So a pile of green, and a pile of brown, mix and water, turn frequently is a quick and dirty recipe, easily transmitted, that will succeed what, maybe 80% of the time? That is pretty good.

I do agree that it's best to move forward with one's compost skills from there, and leave the green/brown thing behind.

[tomf]

I just started a bin and I am still getting my head around the right mix of greens and browns. I will read more and some day I may even know what I am doing.

[sweet thunder]

My shredder contains lots of junk mail (not glossy) like credit card offers and such, plus register receipts. What do people think about composting this stuff? I've done it in a pinch when I've been short of other browns, but I'm wary of adding all that stuff, especially the thermal register paper, to my garden.