I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
Take the leaves out of the bag?

thanks

Liz

FF wrote:
:: I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
:: Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
:: else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
:: probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
:: of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
:: mess.
:: Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
:: but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
:: Take the leaves out of the bag?

There's no need to take the tea from the bag, the bags themselves should
compost easily enough given that they are only a type of paper tissue
material.
The envelope windows will never compost though and they should be removed
prior to shredding...the only reason I can think of why the T-bags didn't
break up is moisture levels were too low, I have an 'open' heap and the
elements help to break everything down nicely.

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

In article , Phil L wrote:
FF wrote:
:: I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
::...
:: probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
:: of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
:: mess.
:: Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
:: but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
:: Take the leaves out of the bag?

There's no need to take the tea from the bag, the bags themselves should
compost easily enough given that they are only a type of paper tissue
material.

I don't think all teabags are made from the same material.
About three years ago I purchased some Chinese oolong tea in teabags
and those teabags are still undecomposed in my compost/soil.
The others, e.g. the ones I have used since, are decomposed and gone.

Anita

anita kean wrote:
[...]
I don't think all teabags are made from the same material.
About three years ago I purchased some Chinese oolong tea in
teabags
and those teabags are still undecomposed in my compost/soil.
The others, e.g. the ones I have used since, are decomposed and
gone.

I don't think I'd use that brand again: it sounds as though they may
be stuck together with something unknown. The fibres themselves may
even not be cellulose, but I find that unlikely. Try burning one and
see what it smells like, and if the colour of the smoke is
unexpected.

--
Mike.

"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
FF wrote:
snip

the only reason I can think of why the T-bags didn't
break up is moisture levels were too low, I have an 'open' heap and the
elements help to break everything down nicely.

My compost 'bin' is made up of wooden pallets and I put an old carpet over
the top but the last time I looked, everything looked very dry in there, I
added some water but reading your post made me wonder....would I be better
off lifting off the old carpet and just leaving it to the elements?

Jx

jewels wrote:
[...]
My compost 'bin' is made up of wooden pallets and I put an old
carpet
over the top but the last time I looked, everything looked very dry
in there, I added some water but reading your post made me
wonder....would I be better off lifting off the old carpet and just
leaving it to the elements?

Let it get thoroughly rained on, or add water yoursaelf, then put the
carpet back to keep it in. The pallets will allow a lot of
evaporation.

--
Mike.

In article , jewels
writes

"Phil L" wrote in message
.uk...
FF wrote:
snip

the only reason I can think of why the T-bags didn't
break up is moisture levels were too low, I have an 'open' heap and the
elements help to break everything down nicely.

My compost 'bin' is made up of wooden pallets and I put an old carpet over
the top but the last time I looked, everything looked very dry in there, I
added some water but reading your post made me wonder....would I be better
off lifting off the old carpet and just leaving it to the elements?

The purpose of covering is to stop the top layer drying out too much. If
yours is too dry, it would certainly be worth keeping it uncovered any
time you expect rain, and cover it only when the conditions are likely
to make it dry out.

I keep mine uncovered all the time. My bin is solid wood - you probably
lose more moisture through the sides than I do.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

The message
from "jewels" contains these words:


"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
FF wrote:
snip

the only reason I can think of why the T-bags didn't
break up is moisture levels were too low, I have an 'open' heap and the
elements help to break everything down nicely.

My compost 'bin' is made up of wooden pallets and I put an old carpet over
the top but the last time I looked, everything looked very dry in there, I
added some water but reading your post made me wonder....would I be better
off lifting off the old carpet and just leaving it to the elements?

Not all the time, because rain leaches the compost and cools the
heat. But if the heap seems dry (signs are, material not decomposing,
lots of ants) just leave off the lid and let the rain wet it again. Then
replace lid.

Janet

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 21:28:11 GMT, FF wrote:

I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
Take the leaves out of the bag?

thanks

Liz

I've been putting teabags in compost for about 30 years. I usually
just rip the bags open before putting them in. The bags themselves do
tend to retain a skeletal structure but I don't mind that as I usually
dig the compost in. I shouldn't think envelope windows would ever rot
down though. I also put eggshells in - crush them first.

Jupiter wrote:
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 21:28:11 GMT, FF
wrote:
[...]
bags and the remains of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes
have
made my garden look a mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too
far, but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them
in
longer? Take the leaves out of the bag?

thanks

Liz

I've been putting teabags in compost for about 30 years. I usually
just rip the bags open before putting them in. The bags themselves
do
tend to retain a skeletal structure but I don't mind that as I
usually
dig the compost in. I shouldn't think envelope windows would ever
rot
down though. I also put eggshells in - crush them first.

Right. The key here is that the windows in envelopes aren't
cellulose: I don't know exactly, but they're probably something in
the poly-ethylene family, not the sugar family. They won't do any
harm underground, and ultra-violet will break them up soon enough on
the surface.

--
Mike.

The message
from Jupiter contains these words:
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 21:28:11 GMT, FF wrote:

I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
Take the leaves out of the bag?

thanks

Liz

I've been putting teabags in compost for about 30 years. I usually
just rip the bags open before putting them in. The bags themselves do
tend to retain a skeletal structure but I don't mind that as I usually
dig the compost in. I shouldn't think envelope windows would ever rot
down though. I also put eggshells in - crush them first.

One thing you won't find in my house is a teabag. Ugh!

But the bags should rot down with the rest of the compost.

Alternatively, dry them and save them, then later, wet them and sow
mustard and cress on them and have a succession of mini-salads.

Also useful for sowing grass seed on and when the grass is established,
planting in bare patches of the lawn - stops the birds eating the seed.

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from FF contains these words:

I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
Take the leaves out of the bag?

We put all our used teabags (different brands) in the compost heap
never to be seen again. I don't know why yours don't decompose..does the
rest of the compost look okay?

I just read yesterday that old envelopes shouldn't be put with
wastepaper for recycling, because the glue and the plastic windows mess
up the works. Oops....

Janet

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from FF contains these words:

I've been putting teabags in the compost bin for a couple of years now.
Recently I had to empty a composter as it was in the way of something
else. It hadn't been added to for a good 12 months & I thought it was
probably ok. However .... the bag part of old tea bags and the remains
of cellulose windows in shredded envelopes have made my garden look a
mess.
Granted, adding shredded window envelopes was probably a step too far,
but can someone enlighten me about the tea bags. Leave them in longer?
Take the leaves out of the bag?

My mum always rips open the used teabags and scatters the tea leaves direct
onto the garden. She reckons she was fed up with finding mouldy uncomposted
teabags in the compost heap. Granted she may have been running an over-dry
compost heap. The empty teabags don't seem to survive.

Andy.

Janet Baraclough wrote:
[...]
I just read yesterday that old envelopes shouldn't be put with
wastepaper for recycling, because the glue and the plastic windows
mess up the works. Oops....

These fancy new polymers aren't what God intended us to make paper
out of; but they won't make a ha'p'oprth of difference in the garden.
Dig 'em in, I say!

--
Mike.

On 2005-08-02, Janet Baraclough wrote:

I just read yesterday that old envelopes shouldn't be put with
wastepaper for recycling, because the glue and the plastic windows mess
up the works. Oops....

I just cut those bits out and recycle the rest.

Ceri
--
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former. -- Einstein (attrib.)