The practice of composting sounds easy, right? Take a bunch of trash, throw it in a pile in the backyard, wait a few weeks and then you’ve made your own fertilizer. Well, you’re not far off. Composting isn’t difficult, per se, but you need to be aware of what you’re throwing in the pile. One bad apple really can ruin the bunch.

That said, here are a few things to keep in mind.

What you can compost: