| Materials | Carbon/Nitrogen | Information |
| Wood ash | Carbon | Only use ash from clean materials; sprinkle lightly |
| Tea leaves | Nitrogen | Loose or in bags |
| Table scraps | Nitrogen | Add with dry carbon items |
| Sawdust pellets | Carbon | High carbon levels; add in layers to avoid clumping |
| Newspaper | Carbon | Avoid using glossy paper and colored inks |
| Leaves | Carbon | Leaves break down faster when shredded |
| Lawn & garden weeds | Nitrogen | Only use weeds which have not gone to seed |
| Green comfrey leaves | Nitrogen | Excellent compost “activator” |
| Grass clippings | Nitrogen | Add in thin layers so they don’t mat into clumps |
| Fruit and vegetable scraps | Nitrogen | Add with dry carbon items |
| Flowers, cuttings | Nitrogen | Chop up any long woody stems |
| Eggshells | Neutral | Best when crushed |
| Corn cobs, stalks | Carbon | Slow to decompose; best if chopped up |
| Chicken manure | Nitrogen | Excellent compost “activator” |