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Carbon:Nitrogen ratio and why it's important in your compost

Matt Knepper

Updated: Aug 7, 2020



What is the Carbon:Nitrogen ratio in compost?

The Carbon:Nitrogen ration, abbreviated C:N is simply the ration of carbon to nitrogen in your compost. This ratio is important throughout the composting process, from building a proper compost through the end product.

Why is the C:N ratio important in compost?

The C:N ratio determines the ease at which organic material can be decomposed by microorganisms in the mixture. When you have optimal proportions of carbon microorganisms can use it as an energy source and nitrogen for protein synthesis.

What is the optimal C:N ratio for making compost?

The optimal C:N ratio is 30 parts carbon to 1 parts nitrogen. This ratio of 30:1 gives microorganisms the right amount of these two elements to quickly decompose organic materials. At this ratio the decomposition process of organic materials can happen at a very fast rate.






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