Rachel Aitch writes


From my experience sorting out other peoples' composty bins I'd say -

Don't add:
Citrus peel ie grapefruit or orange skins - they take forever to rot
and make the bin smell.

OK if they're aren't too many of them in a big outdoor heap. May be a
problem in a little plastic composter.

Egg shells. They just don't rot! Ever! (despite what the books say)

Potatoes (including peelings of indoor ones) due to risk of blight

Only a problem if you're planning to grow potatoes

plus
you get baby spuds everywhere that you use the compost.
Tomatoes due to risk of disease.

Again, only a problem if you're planning to grow them

Any meat or fish scraps - you already know about that one,

Allegedly because it will attract rats, but other things I've read
suggest rats are more attracted by grain. Also, fats don't break down
well.

but I
wouldn't put any sort of fish scraps in either, as it will attract
cats. Is that a bad thing?
Plastic. Obvious, I know, but that includes the labels on fruit, plant
labels, etc.

And those irritating clear windows on envelopes. And parcel tape on
cardboard boxes. It won't harm the compost, but won't rot down, so
you'll end up picking bits of plastic out of the compost.


The worms are an excellent sign (they should be skinny red ones, called
Tiger Worms for some unknown reason),

They're vaguely stripey.


--
Kay