With the added fertility of the soil comes healthier, more robust, plants that can withstand the ravages of pests and disease, thus considerably reducing your chemical spraying costs. Most of your garden waste is good for composting with. The exception would be oxalis, and other invasive, root propagating weeds. With these noxious weeds special care needs to be taken with adequate shredding and a composting system that has a high heat build up. Never include meat, fat, or bones in your compost but fresh kitchen scraps are excellent.
Correct preparation Trying to compost without a shredder is like a chef without a mixmaster.
Inadequate preparation would be the most common cause of failure in composting. Most electric shredders take a maximum of 25mm and petrol powered 35 to 45mm. Germans produce the best designed and lasting shredders. Some have an extra support bearing that makes them tolerable but belt drive is best. The best composting material comes from a flail and screen shredder - different screens accommodate wet and difficult materials.