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Composting: Does green leaves that compost as brown count as 'green compost'

tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
in Problem solving
Hi

I have a big plant in the garden that has big green leaves. They regularly drop off and turn brown. 

Rather than let them litter the place, Id like to compost them. Do these count as 'green' or 'brown' when I put them in the compost bin? (this may be a silly question!! Perhaps theyd count as 'green' if I compost them while theyre green!?)

Thanks
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Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Just wondered what the plant is, some leaves compost better than others. Horse Chestnut is first to drop it's leaves but the last to decompose.
    I have a separate bin just for leaves brown or green.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Ah. Its a japonica. To me they look like good leaves to compost becuase theyre very big with juicy stems. 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    most plants go brown when they die. Compost is made out of dead plants.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited July 2022
    It's not a silly question. Yes, they count as green if the leaves are green and brown if they are brown. Either way, probably good for composting.

     Japonica what? Japonica just means it has something to do with Japan.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Camellia maybe? If so, the leaves are quite leathery so they might take a while to compost down. Chop them up a but if you have the patience, and mix in with softer stuff like grass clippings and kitchen peelings. Or Japanese quince (Chaenomeles), smaller leaves, should compost fine.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    I'm guessing a Fatsia. Mine drop off & turn brown - well die - I scoop them up & compost them. I don't really think about the green/brown ration - if it's compostable, on it goes. At the moment I have a glut of green but that will balance out later.
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Fire said:
    It's not a silly question. Yes, they count as green if the leaves are green and brown if they are brown. Either way, probably good for composting.

     Japonica what? Japonica just means it has something to do with Japan.
    Does it? I didnt know that. Very interesting!

    The plant looks like this: https://www.ewburrownursery.co.uk/fatsia-japonica-japanese-aralia . (although the leaves on my plant are a much lighter green, almost yellow)

    I read somewhere that compost is best with 50% green and 50% brown - hence my question. Eitherway, like you say, Ill compost the leave/berried regardless.


  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Fatsia - the leaves are leathery but do eventually compost. Chopping them up will speed things along. Brown ones - mix with something soft like grass clippings.
    I try to mix greens and browns but I'm not at all precise about it. Shredded paper and torn-up brown cardboard work as browns when I have only green stuff from the garden.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Not rocket science really,  sometimes we have more of one thing that the other.

    The smaller you the cut waste up, the quicker it will turn,  all your grass clippings,  in thin layers,  if you have any junk mail,  old bank statements anything,  envelopes. (Minus the plastic window), scrunch it up into balls, that incorporates some air,  air and dampness is what’s best,  compost is the only thing that gets watered here through the summer.  
    Give it a turn over with a garden fork as often as you can,  then cover with a layer or two of carpet so it gets really hot,  you’re in a good position to make plenty. 
    Aim for a cubic mtr.  then when that’s full,  upturn it into the next bin and cover down well,  carpet and corrugated on the top. 
    And of course,  wee on it as much as you can. 😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've taken to covering my compost with multiple layers of flattened cardboard boxes instead of carpet, since someone on here said that carpets (unless 100% natural including the backing - mine are mostly 80-20) can shed microplastics into the environment. The worms seem to like it - whenever I check they've made inroads into the bottom layer of cardboard.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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