Composting - getting the right ratio

I am thinking about getting a composter. I don't generally care how long it will take to turn into usable compost but I just consider it a very easy and handy way of getting rid of garden waste, grass cuttings etc. I have read up on the topic a little and it seems to be important to get the balance of "greens" and "browns" right at a ratio of about 1:2.

Now from what I saw greens are exactly that (grass cuttings, etc) and browns are whatever is brown, correct? I understand this would be bark, trees, wood, etc maybe even brown leaves in autumn?

Now we don't really have shrubs apart from a small hegde in the front so really all the garden waste that we'd get would be the odd dead plant in autumn etc., maybe some leaves, but mainly grass cuttings from the lawn and some "kitchen waste" (salad leaves, egg shells, etc.).

So does that mean that really I shouldn't bother with composting because especially during summer I would mainly add greens to the compost?

We've got two rabbits which use wood pellets in their litter try, I guess that and their poo would be the only "brown" stuff that would regularly go into it, together with the odd wood shaving from their hutch. But I doubt it would make up for a green to brown 1:2 ratio... ?

We use shredded paper, loo rolls, egg boxes, plus the cage cleaning from the rabbits and piggy, also chicken stuff actualy i think ours is brown heavy but it still does great.

I think people take ratios of stuff like this to serious im sure the soil and worms wont be complaining if your ratios are incorrect throw it in and let it do its best

if I've got lots of cardboard and lots of newspaper I would put the cardboard in and leave the newspaper out, you do need to tear it up obviously, a plot neighbour of mine actually put the glossy advertising leaflets in as well, you need to try it and see what works, give it a stir every now and then and see what needs to be added; more green, more brown or just a bit of water 

Anything that has lived will compost. You may have to shred/cut/smash it up a bit first though.

I've gven up using my compost bin.  Brian doesn't discriminate at all.  If he has a bonfire ALL the ash goes on in one go, when he mows the lawn, ALL the grass mowings go on in one go and when we clean the chickens out ALL the manure goes on in one go, so its not a case of 6 inch layers, more like 6 ft layers!

Mind you, earlier this year after not being touched for about 4 years, it was looking rather good, so I said to him don't put anymore on there until I can dig the good stuff out.  But with the rotten weather we'd been having and getting so behind with everything, I didn't get round to doing it.

Now, it's all started again!  3 foot of mowings on top at the moment!   

I make loads of lovely compost but it takes longer than the sales blurb would have you believe even if you turn it regularly.  I chuck some boxes in whole as some air gaps are good. I don't put newspaper or mags into my bins.  I keep kitchen waste bins separate from garden waste as then I can generally guarantee it will be weed free, although it won't be tomato seed free so a plantation of little tomato plants can't be ruled out    I do prod and stir mine from time to time, and I water it a bit if needs be. I keep a long metal pole by the bin 

If you're adding grass mowings don't put too many it at once as it just goes slimey.  I keep grass mowings in a builder's rubble sack where they will rot down without any help at all but you can add them to the bin as "browns"  In hot weather, adding grass mowings to the compost bin will really heat things up, providing the bin is in full sun of course and hot hidden at the back of the shed