Keep moisture in balance
On hot, exposed or windy sites, check moisture often. Shade and a breathable cover help limit drying while keeping air moving. This tool calculates starting water only — not daily top-ups.
Free tool · Built for the UAE
A better compost mix starts here.
Turn the ingredients you have into a balanced hot-compost recipe. Check carbon-to-nitrogen balance, moisture and how much water your batch needs to get started.
C:N balance
See your whole-mix ratio as you build
Moisture & water
Litres of water to reach your target
Your units
Kilos, litres, m³ or wheelbarrows
Private
Runs in your browser — no account
How it works
Three steps to a working mix.
This tool plans hot / aerobic composting — the kind that runs in a pile, windrow or an Oxygen Composter. It isn't a worm-bin feeding calculator.
01
Add your ingredients
Search the library or add your own material. Mix carbon-rich “browns” with nitrogen-rich “greens”.
02
Enter the amounts
Use kilos, litres, cubic metres or wheelbarrows. If you have lab values for a material, type them in.
03
Read and adjust
Aim for a C:N around 30:1 and 50–60% moisture. Tweak quantities until both sit in the green zone.
Compost mix calculator
Build your recipe.
Add an ingredient
Working by wheelbarrow?
75 L is a common builder's wheelbarrow. Measure yours for a better estimate.Quick reference
Browns and greens.
Good compost balances carbon (energy for microbes) with nitrogen (protein for growth). Typical ratios for common ingredients:
Carbon-rich “browns”
Dry, woody or papery. Add structure and airflow.
- Newspaper≈ 625:1
- Woodchips≈ 611:1
- Cardboard, corrugated≈ 560:1
- Sawdust≈ 333:1
- Straw≈ 98:1
- Dry leaves≈ 55:1
Nitrogen-rich “greens”
Fresh, wet or protein-rich. Feed the microbes and drive the heat.
- Poultry manure≈ 7:1
- Food waste≈ 15:1
- Grass clippings≈ 19:1
- Coffee grounds≈ 20:1
- Vegetable scraps≈ 20:1
- Horse manure≈ 25:1
Typical values from the calculator's library. Real materials vary — use the calculator to check your own mix.
Composting in the UAE
Heat, salt and palms.
Know your water and salts
Note your water source and test electrical conductivity (EC) where salinity is a concern. Palm residues, manure and salty food waste can all add salts.
Prepare palm materials
Shred fibrous palm residues and wet dry material thoroughly before checking moisture. Large woody pieces give structure, but their carbon breaks down slowly.
Common questions
Before you start.
What C:N ratio should I aim for?
Around 30:1 is the classic starting point for hot composting;
anywhere from 25 to 35:1 works well. Much lower and the pile tends
to smell of ammonia and lose nitrogen. Much higher and it stays cool
and breaks down slowly.
How do I check moisture without a meter?
Use the squeeze test. A handful of the mix should feel like a
wrung-out sponge — damp all through, with no more than a drop or
two of water when squeezed hard. If water runs out, add dry
browns. If it crumbles apart, add water gradually and mix.
My ingredient isn't in the list — what now?
Pick the closest match, or use “Add custom material” and enter
your own carbon, nitrogen, moisture and density values. Some local
materials, such as date palm fronds and camel manure, are listed
without values so you can enter your own analysis.
Can I use this for my worm bin?
Not really. Worm bins run cool and are fed little and often, so
recipe ratios matter less than feeding rate and bedding. See our
Learn
articles for worm-bin feeding tips.
Does a balanced mix guarantee finished compost?
No — it's a good start, not a guarantee. Airflow, temperature,
turning and curing time all decide when compost is mature and
safe to use. A balanced recipe just gives the microbes the best
possible start.
Want it to run itself?
Meet the Oxygen Composter.
A forced-air, in-vessel system that keeps your mix aerobic, hot and odour-free — ready compost in weeks.
Method:
Cornell C:N calculations and
compost physics and moisture.
Palm context:
palm waste and salt content;
crushed, soaked palm waste co-composting research.