Compost Ratio Calculator
Enter what your kitchen scrap bucket collects in a week. The calculator gives the browns volume - two parts dry leaves and shredded cardboard per one part scraps - that keeps the pile composting instead of rotting.
Smell is the whole diagnostic: ammonia or sour means add browns and turn, silence means it is too dry. No meat, dairy or cooked food - those invite rats, not microbes - and the finished compost lands in two to three months turned weekly, or a patient season if you never turn it.
How to use
- Weigh or estimate the weekly bucket - most kitchens run 2-4 gallons.
- Collect browns: dead leaves, shredded cardboard, sawdust.
- Layer as you go; the bin should smell like a forest floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the right brown to green ratio for compost?
Two parts browns to one part greens by volume - dry leaves, straw and shredded cardboard against kitchen scraps and fresh clippings. The calculator sizes the browns for your bucket.
Why does my compost smell bad?
Too wet, too green, or meat inside: the anaerobic smell means add browns and turn for air. A working pile smells like a forest floor - if you can smell it from the patio, the ratio needs carbon.
What should never go in compost?
Meat, dairy, oils and cooked food attract rats; diseased plants and stubborn weeds carry through. Everything else plant-based is fair game, stickers removed.
How long does compost take?
Two to three months with weekly turning; a static pile takes a season and almost no effort. Both produce the same dark crumbly end - the turning is a speed choice, not a quality one.