Hi all sorry if this is a question already asked. So i'm tired of paying Home Depot for dirt and looking to start my first pile. My problem is I'm carbon rich and nitrogen poor. I live in a 10B environment.

I live on a 1/3 acre have about 1/8 acre of grass but farm out the cutting of the grass to a local landscaper who mulches it back into the grass. The rest has other items. Lots of tree cover, hence the excess of carbon from dead leaves.

What I'm not sure of is; besides yard clippings what can I use for nitrogen? I have a weed vine that I can pull out in large amounts, palm leaves, leaves from hedge clippings minor home waste. Will these work? Any other sources? What would sufficient quantities be?

It's a common challenge in the summer in dry areas. Most of the green stuff you listed is fine, although really tough or fibrous material like palm leaves might take forever to break down. Kitchen waste, coffee grounds, manure. Reclaim your grass clippings... they are yours, right? As long as you're not using 'cides on your grass, that's your best source when green waste is scarce. Neighbors might have some, too. Every gardener has a different theory about composting but in the end it's just green, brown & blue mixed together and allowed to decompose, doesn't need to be highly precise or complicated. I usually have success with roughly 25-30% green. SO much info about composting on the web. Poke around in this forum for ideas. Good choice

Blue? you just blew my mind. What is blue?

You don't get a lot of carbon from leaves. Nitrogen yes.

Lpreston83 said: Blue? you just blew my mind. What is blue?

Water.

Blue, must be water /moisture- first I heard it that way!

Bill.. say what? Fresh green leaves yes for nitrogen, but dead leaves, brown leaves, carbon.

I would leave the grass clippings on the grass, it's feeding that. But you might get clippings from a neighbor.

kitchen waste, or manure, or pee in it.

NMoasis said: Water.

Hahaha

Good gravy! One learns something new every day. I had no idea after all these years that there was that much carbon involved. Never even occurred to me!
Thanks for the heads up!