Comments on: What you can and cannot compost

By: Renee in Katy

Renee in Katy — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:49:46 +0000

Oh, I put a wire cage around it and on top of it to keep out Cats in the neighborhood… So, my Container is technically “open” and moist…there is a Water Source nearby…

By: Renee in Katy

Renee in Katy — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:47:41 +0000

Hi Lars!

I LOVE this SITE!!!! So helpful!!! I’m new at composting… I took a Plastic plant container, cut out the bottom, turned it upside down on the turned over Soil, and put my kitchen scraps in it to start. What should I do next? Should I add anything to it to get started in breaking down, or should I just wait? Thank you so much!

By: lars

lars — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:49:49 +0000

@HannahDaizy

Yes, absolutely. You are supposed to have a mix of carbon rich and nitrogen rich materials for optimal composting. Too much of one or the other will cause problems and slow things down.

By: HannahDaizy

HannahDaizy — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:54:48 +0000

Wait, can you compost nitrogen items and carbon items together?

By: lars

lars — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:08:33 +0000

@Renee

Anything that you do, the pile will still freeze solid during the winter. But it’s no big deal. The composting process will stop when it’s freezing, but it will start back up again naturally when the snow melts away next year.

I’d be worried more about the bin itself than the materials, but I’m not really an expert on super cold weather like that, so I don’t think I’d have anything constructive to recommend.

By: Renee

Renee — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:32:51 +0000

I live in Alaska and just started my compost pile today. Is there anything I need to do to protect my bin and composting material in the winter? I live in an area that can get to -35 F.

By: Maurice

Maurice — Sun, 23 May 2010 16:15:49 +0000

Please read this article on the use of eucalyptus in composting: http://slosson.ucdavis.edu/documents/1993-19942140.pdf

More on the benefits of Eucalyptus in composting for plants and vegetables… A California research project on Eucalyptus leaves in compost:

http://ucanr.org/repository/CAO/landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v047n03p22&fulltext=yes

The finding that both sludge products similarly affect crop growth indicates Eucalyptus trimmings (present in the compost, but not in the heat-dried sludge) do not suppress crop growth at the rates being evaluated in this study. This is an important point because it was initially feared that allelopathic compounds in the Eucalyptus would inhibit crop growth. The authors hypothesize that the composting process degrades the allelopathic compounds into harmless products.

In summary, the field experiment showed that incorporating sewage sludge compost 4 inches deep as a soil amendment in spring plantings significantly increased yields of onion, snapdragon, turf and spinach. Greenhouse experiments produced similar results and demonstrated that the presence of Eucalyptus trimmings in compost does not depress yields.

By: lars

lars — Sun, 23 May 2010 11:58:21 +0000

@Patti

Eggs (as opposed to just eggshells) can become putrid and stink and/or attract rodents if you add them to your compost pile or bin. So I do not recommend adding whole eggs.

By: Patti

Patti — Sun, 23 May 2010 11:48:07 +0000

I’ve read that eggshells are great for composting, but what about the whole egg?

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:59:16 +0000

I’ve been wanting to compost, and I am just beginning are u not suppose to compost cooked food….if they’re scraps.I know u can’t compost meat, but what about shells (specific) to sunflower seeds, or any other nut for that matter? Also bread…..Is it pretty uch anything that has not been cooked?Thanx