A reader writes in with a question.

Hello,
I am a beginner with composting. I learned a lot from reading your answers to various questions. Thank you. However, I did not see anytyhing about composting pineapple peels? WE eat a lot of fresh pineapple and I hate to throw the peels. CAn I compost it?
Thanks,
Zenny

Yes, you can compost pineapple peel with no problem.

The skin on a pineapple is pretty tough, and the top part of the pineapple is even tougher. So they won’t break down as quickly as something like a banana peel. They will eventually break down though.

You can speed up the decomposition by cutting the peel (and top) into smaller pieces, but that isn’t required.

A reader writes in with a question.

My husband and I are renting our first home and I’m excited to start composting as about 70% of our weekly garbage is compostable. It appears as if the family who lived in the house before us set up a wire composting bin directly behind the children’s swingset in the back yard. I was wondering if that was in any way dangerous in terms of toxic fumes, children eating the dirt, etc.

I would not worry.

My four year old helps participate with composting sometimes, and I would not consider compost to be unsafe in any way.

In fact, the EPA has studied using compost as a way to clean up toxic areas. The organic process of materials breaking down into compost also helps get rid of some types of toxins in the soil.

You can always move your bin to a different spot if you are worried about kids getting into it. If you do, I would not have any concern about the former spot where the previous compost bin used to be.

Hope this helps!

A reader writes in with a question about whether it is safe to compost ashes.

Can ashes from a fireplace be used in a compost pile? Would it be considered “brown” stuff rather than “green” stuff, The only things in the ashes would be newspaper, pine and other dried natural wood; nothing chemically treated.

The sort answer is yes, you can compost wood ashes, in limited quantities.

You don’t want to overwhelm your compost pile with too much of any single ingredient, whether it is ashes or anything else.

Ashes from coal or barbecue briquettes should NOT be composted, because they can contain chemicals that might harm your soil. (Although I must point out that there was a study by Washington State University that determined coal ash up to a certain percentage in compost didn’t harm anything. So maybe I’m just being overly cautious.)

I personally do not like composting wood ashes though, because ashes change the pH of the soil. Ashes are very alkaline.

In fact, if you live in a dry, desert area that already has poor, alkaline soil, you should avoid even wood ash.

Oregon State University Extension Agency has a very thorough article about wood ash and gardening and composting, that is mostly positive about using wood ash with gardening and with composting.

They also mention the pH issue.

For the home gardener, however, wood ash can be a valuable source of lime, potassium and trace elements.

“Since wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil must supply for plant growth,” said Sullivan. “When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element compounds remain. The carbonates and oxides remaining after wood burning are valuable liming agents, raising pH, thereby helping to neutralize acid soils.”

Where soils are acid and low in potassium, wood ash is beneficial to most garden plants except acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas. Use wood ash on flower beds, lawns and shrubs.

Hope this is helpful!

Wondering about making compost from manure? Here’s a guide to what you can and can’t do, along with links to some other great resources I’ve found about the subject.

When I refer to manure, I am talking about horse manure, cow manure, and chicken manure.

If you want to know about whether to compost dog and cat poop, please check this page instead.

Horse Manure Compost

Horse manure can be composted, without much difficulty. Whatcom County in Washington State has the clearest and best page about how to compost horse manure, with step by step explanations and instructions. They even go as far as giving you the design for a bin that you can build yourself.

Cow Manure Compost

Managing cow manure issues is more complicated than just composting. It is possible to compost cow manure, but cattle ranchers and dairy farmers will need to follow all of the laws and regulations in their states. This publication features several complex strategies for dealing with cow waste via composting.  Cornell also has a great page with links to many other resources for larger scale cattle issues. If you’re a home composter, it is safe to add cattle manure to your compost pile. Cow manure is high in nitrogen.

Chicken Manure Compost

Seattle Tilth has a terrific, comprehensive guide to composting chicken manure, compiled by Judy Duncan, WSU Cooperative Extension, King County Master Gardener and Cooperative Extension Livestock Advisor. She covers benefits, collection methods, and composting methods, among other things.

Is there anything I missed — either a type of animal, or a good resource? Leave a comment and let me know and I’ll update.

There are a lot of different types of composters out there!

Compost drums are typically bins that tumble or rotate in some fashion, which helps keep your compost mixed up. Keeping your compost well mixed can be a big plus, if you want to compost faster.

The disadvantage of compost drums is that they don’t hold as much material as other types of composters. They usually hold somewhere around the 50 gallon range, because anything much bigger than that gets too hard to tumble.

Here are 5 different compost drums that you might consider if you’re looking for one.

The Envirocycle Compost Drum sits on a base with rollers built into the bottom. You spin it in place on top of the base to keep your compost mixed. The coolest feature is that the bottom part also holds 5 gallons of compost tea that drains out of the drum. You can either add it to your watering can to use it, or pour it out on your flower beds or garden directly if you want to add a big microbial boost. Usually costs around $149.

The Compost Wizard Jr Drum holds about 53 gallons, and also sits on a base. The base on this one doesn’t collect compost tea, though. It’s not quite as easy to open and close the lid as the Envirocycle, but it’s still a dependable unit. Around $149.

This 55 gallon compost drum is actually made from a recycled food drum! So you’re reusing something that might otherwise go into the landfill to create compost with kitchen and garden scraps that might otherwise go into the landfill. How’s that for a double win? This one flips end over end, on a stand. It’s extremely durable, because you know how tough those food barrels have to be to make it all around the world, or across the country. Costs around $199.

The Tumbleweed compost drum also sits on a stand and flips vertically, instead of horizontally. The coolest feature about this compost drum is that it has lids on both sides, so it’s always easy to add more materials! The legs are made out of galvanized steel, so they are very sturdy and will stay out in the weather without rusting. It costs around $189.

This Joraform compost drum holds more than the rest of these models — 70 gallons. It has a bunch of handle grips around the middle portion so that you can grab and turn it. It’s kind of hard to see in the picture. This is a metal compost bin, with metal legs. Unlike the other drums, this bin has two different compartments so that you can fill one up, then let it break down as you are filling the other compartment, and then start all over. It also has this weird insulation material inside that works very well in cold weather months. It’s usually around $399. They also make a smaller version.

Do you have any questions about these units? If so, leave me a comment and I’ll see if I know the answer, or can look it up for you!

Alternatively, if you’re using one of these, please share your experience.

Some people prefer the natural look of a wooden compost bin. Although most of the commercial compost bins you see these days are plastic, you do see some wooden compost bins now that are already made.

Here are two wooden composters that I like that you can buy.

This cedar bin has two large sections so that you can keep two compost piles going at once and compost large amounts of materials. It’s a great choice if you like to compost leaves, which take up a lot of space. Cedar is very durable, and it’s also a readily available wood that is eco friendly.

This spruce composter is made from FSC certified sustainable wood. It has a really nice look, and the wood has been heat treated for extra durability. The lid is nice, and the extra large spaces between slats allow good aeration.

But what if you want to build a wooden compost bin yourself? You still have a lot of options.

I really like this booklet that has a bunch of different plans for compost bins that you can build yourself. There are a lot of ideas for different styles of bins, and the instructions are clear.

You can also find plans online to build a wooden composter yourself, if you’re the handy type.

The University of Missouri Extension has free plans for several types of compost bins, including a cedar wooden compost bin.

Any other good sources for wooden composter plans out there that I might have missed?

You say “composte,” I say compost!

But either way, I want to help you learn to make your own composte at home.

Here’s a rundown of the resources available on this site:

In a hurry? Learn How to Composte In One Page.

Still have questions about composting? Ask on our Composting Questions and Answers page.

Check out our Chart of Materials that you can and can’t use when composting.

Want to know Why to Composte? We’ve got a page for that too.

Once you begin composting at home, you quickly realize that your kitchen is a great source of materials to throw in your compost bin or compost pile.

But who wants to make a trip back and forth to the yard every time you make a meal at home?

That’s where a compost crock comes in handy. You can just keep one on your kitchen counter and add eggshells, coffee grounds, orange rinds, apple cores and any other fruit or vegetable odds and ends that you end up with. Throw them into the crock and then just empty it once every few days, or once a week!

Here is a selection of nice looking compost crocks that you might consider for your house.

If you’re too cheap to buy one of these, you can always use a Tupperware container, by the way!

A plastic compost crock is your simplest choice. This green one holds almost two gallons’ worth of kitchen scraps, and has a nice handle and a carbon filter to keep out any smells. It’s around $20, online.

This Bamboo Compost Crock is cool because it’s made of a sustainable material. However, we should point out that it has a plastic liner on the inside, so it’s not all wine and eco roses. Holds about 3 liters’ worth of materials, and also has a carbon filter and nice handle. $39 online.

And what about a stainless steel compost crock? Goes perfectly with your stainless kitchen appliances! Holds about a gallon, dishwasher safe, has carbon filters, and a nice handle. Also around $39 online.

This white ceramic compost crock is simple and elegant. Holds about a gallon, uses a carbon filter, has a handle, and is also dishwasher safe like the others. The downside to ceramic is that if you drop it, CRASH! $39 online.

I’ve heard that once you use a black ceramic compost crock, you never go back! This one has the same specs as the white one, with just the opposite color. Also $39, available online.

So which one of these compost crocks is your favorite? I prefer the white ceramic crock.

Are you dealing with compost odor, or afraid to begin composting because you’re worried about bad smells?

If your compost has a bad odor, then there is something wrong. When the composting process is working correctly, then there are not any bad smells or strong odors.

Compost has a strong ammonia smell

A strong ammonia smell is typically related to too many nitrogen rich materials, and too much moisture.

Solution:

Add sawdust, shredded leaves, shredded newspaper or shredded cardboard to add more carbon rich materials, dry out the pile, and bring it back into balance. If it’s a bin, leave the lid off in sunny weather so that the moisture can burn off.

Compost smells rotten

A rotten smell is usually related to adding materials to your pile that should not have been composted in the first place. Are you added meat, dairy, grease or bones to your compost pile or bin? If so, stop!

Solution:

You can try adding more carbon rich materials like leaves and sawdust to bury the smelly materials.

You could dig a hole and bury the entire contents of the bin or pile and start over, avoiding meat, dairy, grease and bones in your next batch. Trench composting takes place underground, but there aren’t any smells because the materials are fully buried.

There are organic products that rapidly end any odors, and they work! I like this BioWish Odor Control product.

Do you have a different kind of stink with your compost?

Leave a comment here and tell us about it, or go to our Composting Questions page for help.

Perhaps you’re already composting all of your yard waste and garden waste. If so, great work!

But are you throwing away kitchen scraps that you could turn into rich, finished compost instead?

Don’t throw away those scraps — collect them with a compost can in your kitchen!

You can use your own sealed container if you want, but a specialized pail sometimes looks a bit nicer on your kitchen counter. Here are some different types of compost cans for you to consider.

A plastic compost can is the cheapest way to go, other than using a container that you already own. This one is $19, from Clean Air Gardening.

A ceramic compost canister looks like fine china when it sits on your kitchen counter, and it’s easy to clean in the dishwasher. Just be careful not to drop it, or CRASH! $39 at Clean Air Gardening.

Does your kitchen have the stainless look? If so, a stainless steel compost can would go right with everything else! $39 at Clean Air Gardening.

Compost is renewable, so why not use renewable bamboo for your compost can? This one actually has a plastic liner, so it’s not ALL eco friendly. But the plastic liner can be washed in the dishwasher, which is convenient. $39 at Clean Air Gardening.

What do you use to collect your kitchen scraps for composting? Leave a comment!