Comments on: What you can and cannot compost

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:17:30 +0000

@Barbara Murphy, No, I doubt the composting will kill the larva. Try laying the soil out in the sun, spread it as much as possible. Then after a few days in the heat, sweep it up and add it to the composter.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:15:52 +0000

@Ben, I doubt the roadhouse separates the shells from all the other trash so it might be tough. If they do, just make sure you shred them as much as possible. As for the local brewer, yes that’s a great idea, especially the coffee grounds, but keep in mind the coffee grounds are nitrogen, not a carbon.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:46 +0000

Do you think getting some of the peanut shells from Texas roadhouse around the corner is a safe idea for my bin? Typically I only add my own yard waste (leaves & Grass) and kitchen scraps (veggies, egg shells etc) to the pile. But I’m thinking of talking to a local brewer and a coffee shop, about a block from my house, for their hops and grounds. Thanks for the great info. I always struggle with finding carbon sources but your list gives me a couple things to think about.

By: Barbara Murphy

Barbara Murphy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:28:43 +0000

I am just starting my first compost using an enviro cycle tumbler. I have several pots full of a high quality organic potting soil which I don’t want to reuse because I had a whitefly infestation. Can I put some or all of this soil in the composter, and would the composting process kill any whitefly eggs ? Thanks in advance for any advice

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:07:17 +0000

@Ryan, Yeah, you need to cut back on the lemons, do you have some neighbors who could use them. Also, good job composting meat, we don’t recommend it but if you can get your compost hot enough then maybe it works for you. If you keep up with the lemon and meat you will continue to have stinky compost. If done right, i.e., limited citrus and no meat, your compost will have little to no odor.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:59:55 +0000

@CJ, Using pallets to make a compost bin is a great idea and works well. You may need to use chicken wire in the inside to help keep the material from falling between the slats. Buy a heavy gauge so your shovel or pitch fork does not tear it up when mixing.

By: Jan Kennelly

Jan Kennelly — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:16:04 +0000

I have just purchased a compost bin here in Queensland, Australia & enjoyed reading this site. I can now educate my husband on the do’s & don’ts, as I continue to research more on the subject. We already have red worms where I have placed the bin.

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:09:55 +0000

Hi, am in the process of making a compost bin, is it possible to make it with 4 pallets or do they have too many holes? Does it need to be closed?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:50:40 +0000

Hi Steve

I have been composting for a while now and we have a lemon tree and have way more lemons than we can ever consume, and possibly more than our compost bin can consume. We have also been putting meat without bones into the compost.

I figured that if maggots can be inside a compost bin, and they’re a protein, then surely meat can too?

Also, what is the best way to compost lemons?

When aerating the compost it smells very very citrus…to a point that it is putrid. I’d also say the meat contents adds to the putrid smell but does this really affect the ability of the micro-organisms to decompose the material or is it just the perception that the oils inside the meats may slow the process down?

Can’t wait to here from you, thanks.
rgds
Ryan

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:47:49 +0000

@LC, Layering your compost is a good way to start, but keep in mind, the layers are temporarily. After a week or less you should start aerating the compost, in other words you need to mix it regularly. If possible, lift the bin off the compost set it next to the pile and add it back to the bin, this is a quick way to mix it. Yes, you can add more material; the ratio should be roughly 1 part nitrogen to 3 parts carbon by weight. This type of bin is not a worm bin, you may have some worms work their way up from the ground but actual vermicomposting requires a bin to collect the liquids and trays that hold the worms, their castings, and food.