I am talking about both. Adding unused kitchen vegetable matter should be added to help produce a more “blended” compost. I sometime scrape the seeds, such as melon seeds, into the garbage waste, to prevent their sprouting in the compost. These seeds are nothing to worry about, however, if you really get your compost “cooking”, getting your compost to heat up and keeping it moist but not soaking wet. The additional element is turning your compost pile often to allow air into the pile. It is said that if you turn your pile every day for 14 days, the vegetable matter should be fully decomposed. I will admit that I have never been disciplined enough to turn the pile every day.

You should AVOID animal matter, meats, eggs, butter, grease, etc., which will cause compost to smell and attract animals.

Clippings off bushes and such are OK, but should be “chopped” into small pieces which will accelerate their decomposition and turning them into compost. Also, the more woody the compost additions the longer it will take for the material to fully decompose. Sifting the final compost product will separate larger pieces which have not fully decomposed.

Tom