Materials to Compost & Materials to avoid

You will be surprised on how many items you can compost and save from going to the landfill. It still amazes me how much kitchen and yard waste we save from the landfills. In the end I am pleased with the finished product. And even happier that I get to put it back into earth just to give my garden all the nutrients it needs. I found a great website that gives us info of what materials you need and which you should avoid (http://www.composting101.com/what-to-use.html). I have also added some materials I use in my very own compost pile.

Below are some of the ingredients that can make good compost:

Materials to Compost
Browns = High Carbon	Greens = High Nitrogen
Ashes, wood Bark Cardboard, shredded Corn stalks Fruit waste Leaves Newspaper, shredded Peanut shells Peat moss Pine needles Sawdust Stems and twigs, shredded Straw Vegetable stalks	Alfalfa Algae Clover Coffee grounds Food waste Garden waste Grass clippings Hay Hedge clippings Hops, used Manures Seaweed Vegetable scraps Weeds*
*Avoid weeds that have gone to seed, as seeds may survive all but the hottest compost piles.

 

Additional Materials I add to my compost pile:

-- Eggshells

-- Tea bags

-- paper towels (no grease or chemicals on them)

-- unused dried dog food

-- egg cartons

-- spent plants

-- old & used soil from containers

-- leaves

MATERIALS TO AVOID:

• Coal Ash - contains sulfur and iron in amounts high enough to damage plants.

• Colored Paper - contains heavy metals or other toxic materials.

• Diseased Plants - diseased organisms are not destroyed in the compost pile and can spread when added to your garden.

• Inorganic Materials - aluminum foil, glass, plastics, metals and pressure-treated lumber (it's treated with chemicals that are toxic). These items will not break down during the composting process

• Meat, Bones, Fish, Fats, Dairy - it makes the compost pile smell awful and will attract unwanted guess. An supposedly also can "overheat" your compost pile.

• Dog & Cat Droppings - contains diseased organisms and can make compost toxic to handle.

• Synthetic Chemicals - lawn and garden chemicals (herbicides - pesticides) can withstand the composting process and remain intact in the finished compost.

In my next blog I will share with you how I compost. Composting101 has very detailed instructions. You can even purchase a book called Let it Rot. Its pretty awesome and it's what I used to get me started.

Happy Gardening!!!!