I'm new to composting need advice please

[bonk1070]

hi have a compost box , I have been looking on the web for info but not really much luck. so my question is what do I need to put in it, leaves, foods? someone said earth worms ? does it have to be earth worms or will any type of worm work? thanks

[rainbowgardener]

Please read the stickies at the top of this Composting Forum: "Composting basics" and "Composting 101." They will tell you everything you need to know.

I'm not going to type it all out again, since all the info is there, but I will give you a very short form answer.

What you need to put in your compost pile is a combination of soft, moist, high nitrogen ingredients, known in composting as "greens" and hard, dry, carbon rich ingredients, known as "browns." Greens include kitchen scraps, pulled weeds, coffee grounds, manure, etc ("green" has nothing to do with color). Browns include fall leaves, shredded paper, straw, corn stalks, etc. Keep your ingredients dampish and keep air circulation through them and they will turn themselves into compost.

If your compost pile sits on the ground, worms will come into it, you don't have to do anything.

But you said "box." Compost piles are usually in bins (I.e. something with no bottom, and sides that are made of lattice, wire grid, etc, for air circulation).

There is another kind of composting, called worm composting or vermi-composting that is done in boxes.

Here's a couple threads about that:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&t=57370
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&t=57188
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&t=54849

The bottom one talks about the differences between regular composting and worm composting and has links to a couple of threads about each.

Best wishes! I'm always glad to see people start composting. Best thing you can do for your garden!