Curious as to whether your household produces enough compost material to make the investment in a composter worthwhile?
As a general rule, any organic matter can be composted. However, unless you’re a professional, certain contents should never enter your home composting system. Follow these basic guidelines to make the most of your composting system:
Composter Beware!
Be sure to avoid wastes that attract pests such as: dairy products, meat/fish scraps, bones, fat, oil, grease, and feces. Also, disease and insect ridden plant materials including weeds and seeds should be eliminated in other ways. In addition, wood ash does not belong in the composter — it can’t be broken down any further and may inhibit the decomposition process of other materials.
Compost Away!
Greens, which are high in nitrogen, make excellent compost material, so throw in house plants, grass clippings, prunings, fruits and veggies, manure, and kitchen scraps such as coffee grounds & filters, bread, egg shells, citrus rinds and vegetable peels. Browns, which are high in carbon, can also be composted with confidence. Add corn stalks, chopped brush, shredded newspaper, sawdust, woodchips, straw, bark and leaves with out worry.
Lots of good info here. However, IMHO, it is OK to add wood ash, as long as you don’t add large quantities. I have always added wood ash to my compost bins without any ill effect and it forms part of the “brown” waste I compost. Obviously any successful composting making involves a good mixture of brown and green waste and it is important not to add too much of any one thing. With regard to the meat and fish scraps these can be dealt with in a bokashi bucket.
Karen, Wiggly Wigglers
As Karen said and other County sites:
Ashes - Ashes from the fireplace can be added to the compost pile or if you have trouble with snails in your garden sprinkle some around the plants.
Composting can be viewed a little like cooking, a good recipe will enhance the finished product.
Thanks
Hi,
My family and I are vegan. Last night we purchased a composting bin. We aren’t sure of a few things though. Can we put leftover uneaten food, such as veggie burgers (Boca), or any other meat alternative foods in there? Also, I read somewhere that we cannot put cooked food in there. Is that right? So basically that would mean that we CANNNOT put in our leftovers. I’m confused.
Does a compost pile have to be covered? I have a compost pile about 4′by 4′ it is in the sun most of the day should i cover it with a tarp or something else?
ralph: A compost pile does not need to be covered. You might need to if you compost all year round because weather conditions can be a burden.
Algreen products is releasing a new Terra-Cotta styled composter in the Spring of 2009, exclusively featured at gardensupermart.com. Your thoughts and comments about this product would be greatly appreciated. Comments: http://www.gardensupermart.com/store/composter.php
I have put these recommended items into my bin (tall black outdoor bin) … and now its swarming with grubs. Is that ok? I expected bugs, but not so many!
SJ: Having a lot of bugs and insects in your compost pile is perfectly normal. Just make sure you aren’t putting any food scraps that aren’t meant to be there like meat or dairy products that might attractive a greater number of bugs. Also, you can try turning your pile over and keep food scraps at the bottom while covering the top with dry scraps like paper, leaves, and other yard scraps.
Nice blog! Thank you
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nice article thanks