Rocket dumps a pile of apple cores into a bin. "Compost done!" he says.
A day later, the bin smells sour and soggy.
Raven wrinkles her nose. "What do you notice is missing?"
Nova hovers over the bin. "Decomposers need a balanced meal," she says. "Not just one kind of food."
Rocket laughs at himself. "Mistake noted. Let's learn the recipe!"
Compost is made when decomposers break down plant scraps and leaves.
A good compost pile needs four things.
| Ingredient | Examples |
|---|---|
| browns | dry leaves, twigs, shredded plain paper |
| greens | fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings |
| water | enough to feel like a wrung-out sponge |
| air | from turning and mixing the pile |
Browns are dry, carbon-rich materials.
Greens are fresh, nitrogen-rich materials.
Use more browns than greens. Experts suggest two to three times as many browns.
Finished compost is dark, loose and crumbly.
It smells like fresh soil.
Gardeners mix compost into soil to help plants grow.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Compost needs air. | ? |
| A compost pile should be soaking wet. | ? |
| Smaller pieces break down faster. | ? |
| Finished compost smells like fresh soil. | ? |
You know the recipe now! Tomorrow we follow a leaf on its trip through the soil and back.