Steps to making compost at home

17 year old Toya Njeri Chege farming greens in Ngong. [David Gichuru,Standard]

To make compost gather enough materials to make a pile at least three feet deep, mix the dry materials such as fallen leaves, shredded tree branches, cardboard, newspaper; hay or straw; wood shavings. Green materials include kitchen scraps and coffee grounds, animal manures (not from dogs or cats) and fresh plant and grass trimmings, which add nitrogen. Start building your compost pile by mixing three parts brown with one part green materials for best results. If your compost pile looks too wet and smells, add more brown items or aerate more often. If it seems extremely brown and dry, add green items and water to make it slightly moist.