Free interactive tool
Compost Ratio Calculator
Balance greens and browns until the pile can heat and breathe.
Balance greens and browns by ratio
Adjust the parts of greens and browns; the gauge shows when the mix reaches the healthy zone.
Compost chemistry in one number: browns carry carbon near 60:1, greens carry nitrogen near 20:1, and the pile wants to live between 25 and 35.
- Find two different recipes that both land in the healthy zone.
- Slide to an all-greens pile — what does the gauge warn, and what would your nose say?
Compost chemistry in one number: browns (leaves, cardboard) carry carbon near 60:1, greens (scraps, clippings) nitrogen near 20:1, and the pile wants to live between 25 and 35.
Slide the parts to balance a real bin. Too green goes wet and smelly; too brown just sits there politely for a year.
My compost smells — what now?
It's nitrogen-heavy and likely airless: fork in dry browns and turn it.
Do ratios need to be exact?
No — the zone is wide. Two to three buckets of browns per bucket of greens lands most piles inside it.