How to Balance Leaves and Kitchen Scraps in Compost

The EPA recommends approximately two to three parts carbon-rich brown materials for every one part nitrogen-rich green materials in a home compost pile. Mixing shredded fall leaves with kitchen scraps can help prevent odors and create healthier compost for your garden. eugenehill/Shutterstock

Your kitchen scraps could be the secret to turning all those fallen leaves into rich garden compost, but there’s a catch. Tossing everything into a pile without paying attention to the proportions can leave you with a soggy, smelly mess instead of the nutrient-rich soil amendment you were hoping for.

Fortunately, balancing leaves and kitchen scraps doesn’t require expensive equipment, special additives, or a complicated formula.