The Official, "Will It Compost" thread...

[rainbowgardener]

Also see my post on p2 of this thread. The vacuum cleaner picks up lots of carpet fibers. OK if the carpet is natural fibers (wool, sisal, etc). My carpets are synthetic and the fibers are indestructible (I know HG says there are now nylon eating bacteria, but apparently there are not any of those in my compost pile! ). I had carpet fibers floating around for years after the one time I dumped my vacuum cleaner bag into the compost pile (very identifiable since our carpet is RED!)

I agree the potato peels and cucumber peels are just fine. Potato peels make great soup stock. When I cook, I take the potato peels, onion skins, garlic skins and ends, etc and simmer it into soup stock. THEN I strain the peels back out and put them in the compost bucket.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Good point, RBG.

We need to think about the entire cycle to make good compost, from inputs, to management, to application. If we start doing better inside, it is only to the benefit of our own health there, and eventually the health of the ecosystem outside as we move these things to our landscapes.

HG

[GeorgiaGirl]

We need keep in mind that some of our indoor cleaning chemicals, volatile organic compounds from paints and carpets, and other indoor chemicals do not have the benefit of UV degradation, or the natural action of rain and weather, to break down these otherwise inocuous compounds.

Definitely. I guess I assumed all of us here use natural cleaning solutions like baking soda, not the toxic chemical garbage sold in stores.

Also see my post on p2 of this thread. The vacuum cleaner picks up lots of carpet fibers. OK if the carpet is natural fibers (wool, sisal, etc). My carpets are synthetic and the fibers are indestructible (I know HG says there are now nylon eating bacteria, but apparently there are not any of those in my compost pile! ). I had carpet fibers floating around for years after the one time I dumped my vacuum cleaner bag into the compost pile (very identifiable since our carpet is RED!)

Oh goodness, I would never dream of dumping a vacuum cleaner bag into the compost if I had carpet -- I'm laughing at the idea of red carpet fibers in there! (not laughing AT you; laughing WITH you! ) We got rid of our carpet a long time ago in favor of hardwood, for health reasons. Nasty stuff... I don't want it off-gassing for my family to inhale, and I definitely wouldn't want it in my precious compost!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Julia it is good to see you have already given this thought, but I learned a long time back it is better to give the warning, as even when it doesn't apply particularly, someone will read it and learn.

HG

[GeorgiaGirl]

Most definitely, HG!

[lyra1977]

What about used kleenex? I have allergies and so there would be plenty of them We have the plain, unscented type but I can't find anywhere on the box where it says what they are made from to be sure there isn't anything weird. Might they have chlorine from bleaching and would that be a problem?

And my husband makes wine and often does the initial fermentation on the skins, so would the grape skins then be OK to compost or not since they would have some alcohol in them?

Also, I have been reading a gardening book and am getting confused about annual vs. perennial weeds. I am a brand new gardener and have no idea which are which. I DO know what the words mean, just not which weeds are which. I gather, though, that I must not EVER but dandelion roots in the compost

[rot]

..

I now save tissue in a bucket and throw that in to the compost. I'll get a lot when I have a cold. I haven't found any remnants while turning. They seem to break down rapidly for me.

Grape skins with a little alcohol? I'd throw them in but at what quantities? I don't think you're going to go wrong if you follow the 10 percent rule.

Someone else can explain annuals vs perennials. I can't seem to keep them straight.

Leave the dandelion roots out in the sun for a little while and they will be fine in the bin. Dandelions are pernicious in that if you don't kill the entire tap root, they will come back. The thing to really avoid is the flower heads. Put some of those pretty yellow flowers in a closed up container and in a few days you will have bunches of seeds.

to sense

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[lyra1977]

rot, thanks for the tips! My husband makes quite a bit of wine, actually. Over 100 gallons a year. So I'll keep the 10% rule in mind.

Good to know about drying the dandelion roots first! As far as the heads are concerned, maybe they should go in the fireplace! I hate, loath and despise those suckers.

[rot]

..

I'm betting that if you leave the grape skins outside exposed a bit for a day or two all the alcohol would out gas.

I would expect the grape skins to be largely green but just a little slow to decay. Well blended with just some browns and it should be a non-issue.

..

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yup, right on rot. Plus alcohol is just more sugar once it starts to break down; long chain carbs that will feed a bunch of critters.

HG

[texasgardener]

anyone ever make any compost tea?

With all the things you guys are asking about composting, I really try to keep my compost with only organic items.

we also keep a five gallon bucket around and make up some compost tea.

Our plants love it and it really causes root growth like crazy.

I'll find the recipe and post it on this forum somewhere.

Robert

[cynthia_h]

anyone ever make any compost tea?

...
I'll find the recipe and post it on this forum somewhere.

Robert

Many people here have made compost tea, from "standard" compost, from worm castings, or all on its own, from ingredients specifically selected for the purpose and with equipment specifically selected to provide optimum results.

In fact, the interest is such that there is a 25-page-long thread on compost tea at https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17097 with plenty oh yes LOTS TONS MANIFOLD information about activated aerobic compost tea which should keep you reading until *very* late at night. It's a Sticky (always "sticks" at the top of the forum index) in the Organic Gardening Forum.

And its companion, Where to Buy Aerobic Compost Supplies -- https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22239 -- but it's not nearly as long! Much more manageable, at 2 pages so far. *whew*

Happy reading....

Cynthia H. (up too late too many times...)
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[The Helpful Gardener]

Thanks Cyn, beat me to it...

TG, sorry you asked yet?

HG

[Joyfirst]

For some reason avocado skins are not composted in my compost after a year(I didn't turn much), so now I break them a bit adding to my compost.
I took compost workshop, and the guy said not to put too much of orange peels in and cut up the ones you put in, but I juice a lot of them and grapefruits too, and they all were composted beautifuly for me...

[rainbowgardener]

Right, JF. In this thread:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=119689&highlight=avocado#119689

The Helpful Gardener has a couple comments about avocado shells. I am one who never throws ANYTHING organic away, but I just pitch the avocado shells. Not worth putting them in the compost! Citrus is fine though as long as you don't over do it (!0% rule!)

[The Helpful Gardener]

It's official; avocado skins do not compost...

Citrus WILL compost, but adds volatile oils that can drive off worms and damage fungal side if the content gets too high. We have mandarins right now and I will compost those as the skins are smaller and lighter, but I usually shy off of the citrus mostly. Once and a while is fine, but even 10% is too much for citrus...

HG

[applestar]

I put the avocado skins in the compost simply because I put all veg/fruit remains in the compost. When avocado skin resurfaces while I'm turning the pile, I put it out in the sun to dry, then stomp on it to crumble it up. Even if it doesn't compost down, it can help to aerate/drain within the soil texture.

[The Helpful Gardener]

True... and EVENTUALLY those lipids and phosphorus need to disengage, so it will turn into soil. Just has a half life like uranium...

HG

[tylianna]

How about sod? I took off a layer of sod to plant my strawberries. About 5' x 5' square. There is still some soil attatched to some since we couldn't shake it all off. Just wondering if this would compost well?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Sure it composts, but I bury it to the bottom and leave it for a while to be sure to kill the grass off, just turning everything on top of it. Eventually it just sort of works in...

HG

[tylianna]

Ok I guess I need to start getting more organic material to help it along! Hmmm another one... What about thatch? I think I read that thatch isn't supposed to go into the compost pile, right now we are burning it, but if that is just more material for the compost.. I should use it!

Thanks for answering my questions. I feel like such a noob by asking a question on every other post here! Lol

[The Helpful Gardener]

Burning? Carbon into the atmosphere? No, dear, it will compost just find and you can put your carbon back in the soil where it belongs...

Remember, thatch is a "green" no matter how brown it gets...

HG

[GardenJester]

salted pistachio nut with shells and all. I have some that went stale, do I have to soak it to get rid of the salt? or should I just scatter it to feed the wild lifes?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Soak em.

A little salt is okay, but not that much. Nutshells are great for trace minerals...

HG

[Dixana]

But peanut shells take FOREVER unless you crunch em up first. Our old pile ran pretty hot and I swear I was picking the stupid shells out and tossing them back in the pile three years later

[The Helpful Gardener]

just screened a bunch of mine out of the compost this afternoon...

[applestar]

Maybe that's when you should decide they would make good "composted" mulch

[The Helpful Gardener]

Nah, out of the bottom of the bin and back in the top. More carbon to keep my stuff fresh... they'll go eventually...

HG

[2nd generation]

Are coffee grinds good for adding to compost pile?

[rainbowgardener]

Are coffee grinds good for adding to compost pile?

Yup! High nitrogen "green" for the compost pile. Throw them in filter and all.

[GardenJester]

moldy breads and other baked goods?

[rainbowgardener]

Sure, absolutely!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Carbohydrates are EXCELLENT bacterial foods so I count them as a green, but bread heats things up fast...

HG

[Dixana]

I've always pulsed my bread through the food processor to break it up into crumbs.......do I not need to do this? (keep in mind I break almost everything down first from food to leaves)

[rainbowgardener]

Do not need to crumble it. It will do that on it's own. I've thrown whole loaves of bread in the pile, that got moldy. They disappear quite nicely.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Dixana's method would be faster, but I agree in the long term (if you are turning regularly) it's unnecessary...

HG

[nes]

Butcher paper?

[rot]

..
Straight paper good. Anything with a moisture barrier I'd say no go.

If it isn't plastic for the moisture barrier, it's wax. I haven't tried wax and I've never heard of anyone else either.
..

[The Helpful Gardener]

I doubt it; natural waxes (phospholipids in plants) are naturally resistant to breakdown (that's usually what they are there for). I'd say try a little, but I have my doubts... paper great, wax, not so much...

HG

[nes]

Okay - will try it out and see!

(I had another one but I keep forgetting what it is!!).

In the mean time: what about raw bones?
(COW bones - I don't want to start anything illegal here... ).
Like the little bits that are too small for my dogs to eat any more - just out of curiosity, I'm sure they'd take forever but does anyone know if they would eventually degrade in a home composter? (2-3 years?)