Stuff that I can compost?

[dtw]

Hi, I'm a newbie called Dave, I'm hoping to get an allotment soon.
I'm starting off with making some compost in my garden.

Just a couple of quickies!

I know most vegetable matter can be composted,
but what about paper if it's shredded?
I know some slugs will eat it, but will it decompose properly.
Will the ink (and chalk in the paper) have any detrimental effect on the plants?

I'm cutting a load of ivy off my fences too, is that any good to put in,
or would the stems be too thick?
or should I just put the leaves in?

Thanks.

[dtw]

[triffid]

Hi there!

Here's a really helpful page for you to trawl through, which answers most if not all of your 'what can I compost?' queries... 

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Rubbish-waste-and-recycling/composting---frequently-asked-questions.en;jsessionid=EF7559B952DCE3986E86052FE2572580

[cornykev]

Hi Dave and welcome as you said veggie peels, tea bags, nettles, shredded paper,leaves,egg shells,coffee grounds,urine,dead flowers,straw,sawdust,twigs and woody clippings nothing too thick or bulky,hedge clippings, cut grass the list goes on. Make sure you get a good mixture not too much of the same. No diseased plants or perennial weeds like couch grass dandelions or thistles. :D :D :D

[okra]

The only thing to avoid is too citrus peel as I understand it amkes the compost to acidic. On the postive side - urine is always a useful addition to speed decomposition.

[manicscousers]

I put all my citrus peel in, I can't bear to waste anything, maybe it's not too much as it doesn't seem to have bothered our plants  :)

[Merry Tiller]

Citrus peel is fine

[Mrs Ava]

I wouldn't put ivy in only because it would happily root and grow (at least, that's what I think).  Other than that, I bung it all in, including natural fibres like old wool jumpers - so long as they are 100% wool.

[Blue Bird]

Hi Dave and welcome I started like you - whilst waiting for my allotment (got week or so before Xmas) I started off with my compost only thing I do not put in is citrus peel.

Any way good luck with your composting :) :)

BB

[Merry Tiller]

 ::)

[cornykev]

Would you put in citrus peel MT?



























;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Clairylou]

This may be a stupid question but I was wondering could a compost bin be put in a backyard on stone.  Someone was asking me the other day as they only have a small front garden.  I wasn't sure how well it would work so thought i would ask.

Claire

[triffid]

You need open soil underneath a compost bin, really.
Partly to let any liquid drain away and partly to let all the worms and soil bugs up into the compost.

Perhaps if it's flagstones, one could be lifted?

[carolinej]

The only practical place for my 2 compost bins is on a patio slab area by my shed. This works fine, and the compost is always full of nice worms after a short while. ;D

cj :)

[Clairylou]

Thanks!
I thought that was probably the case my compost bins are on soil at my allotment.  Perhaps i will just compost her stuff for her.

Claire

[triffid]

Just a thought -- how about a worm bin... if it's not going to have to cope with huge quantities of stuff? They are enclosed at the bottom.
You can buy them fitted with a waterbutt-type tap for running off excess liquid, which can then be used diluted as plant food. 

Hope that's some help  :)

[Clairylou]

I hadn't thought of that.  Its a good idea.

Claire

[Mrs Ava]

I put citrus peel on.  I don't think, unless you were putting on carrier bag fulls every day, the 'normal' amount a household would get through in a week would really affect a compost heap at all.  EVERYTHING natural goes on mine - hamster cage cleanings, grass, kitchen waste, shredded paper, teabags and coffee grounds, hedge prunings, allotment waste like weeds and 'stuff', leaves, natural fibres like wool, shreddings from garden clearances that I do, rotting apples from the apple trees, fish pond gunk when we clean it out, hair when I cut the kids and my darlings barnets, fish bones before cooking, contents of the hoover, egg shells, sticks, twigs, the lot.  The only thing natural that I won't be putting on again are shells.  The bigger shell take an age to do anything, and some break and are like shards of glass!

[Merry Tiller]

EJ, you're always right, if only everyone would listen to the voice of reason  :'(

[Baccy Man]

Citrus peel is never an issue in compost heaps it does not make the compost acidic the acid is neutralised during the composting process. The only time it can be seen as a problem is in a wormery where you are relying on the worms eating it rather than the thermophilic reaction and the aerobic bacteria you get in a healthy compost heap breaking it down. Worms are not keen on stronger tasting foods like citrus, onions, garlic, chilli's etc... but once those items have decomposed a bit the worms will eat them quite happily it just means you may have bits of citrus or onion sitting untouched in your wormery for a few weeks before they are eaten.

Ivy can be composted without any regrowth. The year before last I stripped the ivy (including thousands of ripe berries containing seeds) from a three storey house shredded & composted it, then last spring the compost was used in my garden there is not a single sign of ivy trying to grow there was about 100 square foot of brambles composted at the same time they haven't regrown either.

Compost bins on concrete slabs work fine just chuck a shovelful of garden soil in to add the necessary bacteria when you start them off. They usually dry out faster than ones directly on the ground so you will need to water the heap more often but thats about the only difference.

While on the subject of compost all cooked foods, meat, fish and bones, roadkill and anyone you catch stealing from your plot can be added to a heap just bury these items to avoid bad odours yes lots of people say it will attract vermin but rats are just as likely to go after the worms or raw foods in a slow heap as they are to go for cooked foods, meat etc...

All diseased plant material should be burn't first then the ash can be added to the heap.

The only natural things I would avoid adding to my compost heaps is fecal material from meat eating animals like cats or dogs although they can safely be added to a humanure pile where they will have sufficient time for the pathogens to die off before the compost is used.

[dtw]

Thanks for all the replies, I must get round to building it now.  :D