Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for me.
So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in compost
heaps?

Cat(h)

"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for me.
So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in compost
heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which may be
nasty.

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for me.
So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in compost
heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which may be
nasty.

So, it's OK to read them, and eat one's fish and chips in them, but not
to compost them ?;-)
I'm affraid my organic credentials - such as they are - have just taken
a dent... But I suspect they'd had it as soon as I gave up on the slug
beer traps in favour of the blue pellet napalm...

Cat(h)

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot
compost? I am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells
and bits of skin). I try to layer with grass clippings and some
cardboard. There are worms and the whole thing seems to be
settling well. I'm having difficulty filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am?
Are there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for
me. So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in
compost heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which
may be nasty.

Having looked into this I can vouch that it's an urban myth, it's widely
used as pet bedding, namely for small rodents without any ill effects.

"Phil L" wrote in message
k...
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot
compost? I am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells
and bits of skin). I try to layer with grass clippings and some
cardboard. There are worms and the whole thing seems to be
settling well. I'm having difficulty filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am?
Are there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for
me. So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in
compost heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which
may be nasty.

Having looked into this I can vouch that it's an urban myth, it's widely
used as pet bedding, namely for small rodents without any ill effects.

I totally agree but the organic crowd do not like it.

Cat(h) wrote:
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best
avoided in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry
up my compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to
the recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well
for me. So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper
in compost heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which
may be nasty.

So, it's OK to read them, and eat one's fish and chips in them, but
not to compost them ?;-)

I doubt your fish and chips are actually in the newspaper. They'll be in
plain paper which is over-wrapped in newspaper these days.

Amethyst Deceiver wrote:
Cat(h) wrote:
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best
avoided in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry
up my compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to
the recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well
for me. So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper
in compost heaps?

Cat(h)

I think the theory is that the newsprint is made of chemicals which
may be nasty.

So, it's OK to read them, and eat one's fish and chips in them, but
not to compost them ?;-)

I doubt your fish and chips are actually in the newspaper. They'll be in
plain paper which is over-wrapped in newspaper these days.

I thought newspapers nowadays were printed with soya-based ink. I
compost mine.

"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ps.com...

George.com wrote:
"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...compost_pf.php

rob

Good basic info there, but it suggests that newspaper is best avoided
in compost... why? I use quite a bit of newspaper to dry up my
compost, as well as shredded paper - whatever doesn't go to the
recycling bin goes into the compost, and that works quite well for me.
So. why would an organic website advise against newspaper in compost
heaps?

Because the editor of the website does not like the papers political
content!

Alan


Cat(h)

"Tulpa" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Sounds as thought you are doing all the right things, except perhaps the
prawn shells and bits of skin, I put shreded paper in mine as well.

Alan


Thank you.

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.
Egg shells. They just don't rot! Ever! (despite what the books say)
Potatoes (including peelings of indoor ones) due to risk of blight plus you get baby spuds everywhere that you use the compost.
Tomatoes due to risk of disease.
Any meat or fish scraps - you already know about that one, 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.
Big lumps of any one thing - mix and match is the way to do it, and just roughly chop up any large leftover vegetables etc that might be on their way to the heap.

So carry on soldiering!

The worms are an excellent sign (they should be skinny red ones, called Tiger Worms for some unknown reason), as is the fact that you can't fill it: if it sinks as fast as you add stuff, then you are definitely doing it right!

PS It really works best if you can arrange to have a second composty bin, so that when the one does eventually fill up, you can leave it to cook while you start filling the second one. Otherwise you find yourself having to sort through part-rotted stuff. My personal least favourite job in the garden.

Definition of when it's "done" : when you can't recognise any of the components.

Hope this helps! Oh, final tip (really) whether you have a black plastic one, a loose pile, or some sort of container, try to keep your layers level, ie don't make a pyramid in the middle, spread it out and use all the corners.

yep I use my shredded paper in my compost - cannot be too careful with
identity theft!
Also intend to use it as another layer on top of well rotted compost/manure
for my potato trenches!

"Rachel Aitch" wrote in message
...

Tulpa Wrote:
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of
skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are
worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.
From my experience the 'dalek' style of bins are pretty naff as they do not
heat up enough. With them it is the worms that do the work and so it takes
longer.
The best system imho is 2-3 purpose built 'Bins' either wood or breeze block
constuction. My bins are joined together and each compartment is approx. 4'
square. When bin #1 is full fork it into bin #2 then bin #3 and keep the
rotation going. Do it right and you will burn your hand if you stick it into
the heap. That heat is the bacterial action and should be hot enough to kill
any disease and weed seeds. If the weather is particularly wet I cover with
an old piece of carpet.
A compost heap needs water and air and if you add a little topsoil that will
introduce the soil bacteria necessary to turn it into usable compost.
Do NOT add fallen leaves in quantity as they rot down using a different
process and will only retard your heap.
Leaves should be kept separate to be used as leafmould when ready. ( They
rot down by fungal action as opposed to the composting process which uses
bacterial action) Having said that, a FEW leaves won't hurt. hth
Jim

"Rachel Aitch" wrote in message
...

Tulpa Wrote:
Hi there, can anyone give me ideas for what I can and cannot compost? I
am not putting in meat or fish (Barring prawn shells and bits of
skin).
I try to layer with grass clippings and some cardboard. There are
worms
and the whole thing seems to be settling well. I'm having difficulty
filling it up!

Are there any definate 'No-No's' or should I soldier on as I am? Are
there things I should definately be adding?

Thank you.

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.
Egg shells. They just don't rot! Ever! (despite what the books say)
Potatoes (including peelings of indoor ones) due to risk of blight plus
you get baby spuds everywhere that you use the compost.
Tomatoes due to risk of disease.
Any meat or fish scraps - you already know about that one, 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.
Big lumps of any one thing - mix and match is the way to do it, and
just roughly chop up any large leftover vegetables etc that might be on
their way to the heap.

So carry on soldiering!

The worms are an excellent sign (they should be skinny red ones, called
Tiger Worms for some unknown reason), as is the fact that you can't fill
it: if it sinks as fast as you add stuff, then you are definitely doing
it right!

PS It really works best if you can arrange to have a second composty
bin, so that when the one does eventually fill up, you can leave it to
cook while you start filling the second one. Otherwise you find
yourself having to sort through part-rotted stuff. My personal least
favourite job in the garden.

Definition of when it's "done" : when you can't recognise any of the
components.

Hope this helps! Oh, final tip (really) whether you have a black
plastic one, a loose pile, or some sort of container, try to keep your
layers level, ie don't make a pyramid in the middle, spread it out and
use all the corners.


--
Rachel Aitch

Most of the don't add things including pernicious weeds can be added to a
Wormery . Seems to work OK for me. The digestive tract of a worm must be
very efficient:-)