Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Hi all,

I was just wondering, seeing as once bread goes mouldy, it usually gets covered in green mould really fast. So if I were to mix this in with other peelings etc, would it speed up the decomosition of the peelings as well?

Or is it a different type of bacteria.

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type of matter will it break down into?

Thanks for you help :)

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article m,
dommy writes:
|
| I was just wondering, seeing as once bread goes mouldy, it usually gets
| covered in green mould really fast. So if I were to mix this in with
| other peelings etc, would it speed up the decomosition of the peelings
| as well?

Possibly, but it would probably make little difference.

| Or is it a different type of bacteria.

It is a fungus, not a bacterium. Many of the organisms in compost
heaps are.

| Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
| of matter will it break down into?

Yes, and humus, respectively. Almost anything that will rot will
compost.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article m, dommy
writes
Hi all,

I was just wondering, seeing as once bread goes mouldy, it usually gets
covered in green mould really fast. So if I were to mix this in with
other peelings etc, would it speed up the decomosition of the peelings
as well?

Or is it a different type of bacteria.

The green mould isn't bacteria, it's fungi. Fungi are usually fairly
specific about what they will grow on.

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

Bread doesn't have a lot of substance to it and doesn't add a lot to the
compost heap, and it may attract rats


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Kay Easton wrote in message
...
In article m, dommy

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

Bread doesn't have a lot of substance to it and doesn't add a lot to the
compost heap,

"and it may attract rats"

tats wot i was gonna say.

but wot do i know, being an absolute failure with compost heaps. i've had
one for ten years and it's never ever decomposed (but the woodlice and ants
luv it).

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article ,
Kay Easton writes:
|
| The green mould isn't bacteria, it's fungi. Fungi are usually fairly
| specific about what they will grow on.

Er, not moulds and yeasts. One extreme example is Botrytis cinerea,
which will grow on almost anything, but so will the Penicillins
(which it could well be).

| Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
| of matter will it break down into?
|
| Bread doesn't have a lot of substance to it and doesn't add a lot to the
| compost heap, and it may attract rats

Buy better bread! That is true of Americanised foamed starch,
but is not true of Real Bread (TM). While it could attract rats
in theory, I don't think that it is a problem in practice.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article , Sid
writes

Kay Easton wrote in message
...
In article m, dommy

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

Bread doesn't have a lot of substance to it and doesn't add a lot to the
compost heap,

"and it may attract rats"

tats wot i was gonna say.

but wot do i know, being an absolute failure with compost heaps. i've had
one for ten years and it's never ever decomposed (but the woodlice and ants
luv it).

You're keeping it too dry. Try adding water to it. If you can get it
damp enough for earthworms, you should get good compost from it.





--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

dommy wrote in
s.com:

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

OK in the compost heap, but don't put much in a wormery. It breaks down
into a sort of grey sludge that the worms don't like, and screws up the
drainage.

(speaking from bitter experience!)

Victoria

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

dommy wrote in
s.com:

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

OK in the compost heap, but don't put much in a wormery. It breaks down
into a sort of grey sludge that the worms don't like, and screws up the
drainage.

(speaking from bitter experience!)

Victoria

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

dommy wrote in
s.com:

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

OK in the compost heap, but don't put much in a wormery. It breaks down
into a sort of grey sludge that the worms don't like, and screws up the
drainage.

(speaking from bitter experience!)

Victoria

Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you all. I have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it in. :)

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

| Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
| of matter will it break down into?
|
| Bread doesn't have a lot of substance to it and doesn't add a lot to the
| compost heap, and it may attract rats

Buy better bread! That is true of Americanised foamed starch,
but is not true of Real Bread (TM).

Real bread doesn't hang around long enough to go mouldy!

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Kay Easton wrote:
and it may attract rats

the rat ain't been born that can find its way into my compost bin whatever I
put in it.

Old concrete coal bunker with cast iron shutter!

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Not really but its OK to put it in ........best to break it up into small
pieces though and mix in

"dommy" wrote in message
s.com...
Hi all,

I was just wondering, seeing as once bread goes mouldy, it usually gets
covered in green mould really fast. So if I were to mix this in with
other peelings etc, would it speed up the decomosition of the peelings
as well?

Or is it a different type of bacteria.

Also is it reccomened to add bread to the compost heap, and what type
of matter will it break down into?

Thanks for you help :)
--
dommy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:11:25 +0000 (UTC), "Essjay001"
wrote:

Kay Easton wrote:
and it may attract rats

the rat ain't been born that can find its way into my compost bin whatever I
put in it.

Old concrete coal bunker with cast iron shutter!

If rabbits can get into a nuclear waste dump at Douneray, then
anything is possible, including pink bunnies that glow in the dark.

--
martin

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article ,
Essjay001 wrote:
Kay Easton wrote:
and it may attract rats

the rat ain't been born that can find its way into my compost bin whatever I
put in it.

Old concrete coal bunker with cast iron shutter!

Hmm. I suggest reading H.G. Wells "The Food of the Gods" and then
thinking about Monsanto :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

On 28 Jun 2003 10:57:11 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
Essjay001 wrote:
Kay Easton wrote:
and it may attract rats

the rat ain't been born that can find its way into my compost bin whatever I
put in it.

Old concrete coal bunker with cast iron shutter!

Hmm. I suggest reading H.G. Wells "The Food of the Gods" and then
thinking about Monsanto :-)

I knew somebody, who worked for Monsanto in Newport in the nineteen
sixties. He had bright yellow hair. At 64 he was a bit old to be a
punk.
--
martin

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Essjay001 wrote:
Kay Easton wrote:
and it may attract rats

the rat ain't been born that can find its way into my compost bin
whatever I put in it.

Old concrete coal bunker with cast iron shutter!

Hmm. I suggest reading H.G. Wells "The Food of the Gods" and then
thinking about Monsanto :-)
Hmmmmmmmm I think not.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

"dommy" wrote in message
s.com...
Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you all. I
have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it in. :)
--
dommy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

You could do, or you could crumble it and leave it out for the small birds,
they'll thank you by eating any baddies in your garden too :-)

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article ,
"shannie" writes:
| "dommy" wrote in message
| s.com...
| Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you all. I
| have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it in. :)
|
| You could do, or you could crumble it and leave it out for the small birds,
| they'll thank you by eating any baddies in your garden too :-)

Er, no. Bread (white bread, in particular) can be harmful to
most birds, because it forms a solid lump. Also, insect eating
birds either won't eat it, or will be very likely to be harmed
by it.

Also, most birds that are not scavengers are fairly sensitive
to rotting food, and may be harmed by that. We are scavengers
(like rats) and can eat a lot of things that even other mammals
can't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

In article ,
"shannie" writes:
| "dommy" wrote in message
| s.com...
| Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you all. I
| have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it in. :)
|
| You could do, or you could crumble it and leave it out for the small birds,
| they'll thank you by eating any baddies in your garden too :-)

Er, no. Bread (white bread, in particular) can be harmful to
most birds, because it forms a solid lump. Also, insect eating
birds either won't eat it, or will be very likely to be harmed
by it.

Also, most birds that are not scavengers are fairly sensitive
to rotting food, and may be harmed by that. We are scavengers
(like rats) and can eat a lot of things that even other mammals
can't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
"shannie" writes:
"dommy" wrote in message
s.com...
Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you
all.
I have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it
in. :)

You could do, or you could crumble it and leave it out for the
small birds, they'll thank you by eating any baddies in your
garden
too :-)

Er, no. Bread (white bread, in particular) can be harmful to
most birds, because it forms a solid lump. Also, insect eating
birds either won't eat it, or will be very likely to be harmed
by it.

Also, most birds that are not scavengers are fairly sensitive
to rotting food, and may be harmed by that. We are scavengers
(like rats) and can eat a lot of things that even other mammals
can't.

I take the view that birds have lived long enough to decide for
themselves what they fancy and what they do not - and do not need well
meaning human theoretical dieticians deciding on their behalf what
they 'should' eat and what they shoudn't.
Moulds are naturally occurring organisms. Birds will come across
mouldy grain, etc., in their natural search for food. They will know
whether it is OK or not. Certainly some species will reject it of
their own accord.
When we human 'do-gooders' place food out for the wildlife, we are not
forcing it down their throats. We are giving them an option. Take it
or leave it.

--
ned

Mouldy bread and compost heaps.
 

--

Shan (Ireland)
http://ukdiscus.com/main.htm


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"shannie" writes:
| "dommy" wrote in message
| s.com...
| Thanks for the replies everyone, very kind and helpful of you all. I
| have a loaf of mouldy bread, think ill break it up and chuck it in.
:)
|
| You could do, or you could crumble it and leave it out for the small
birds,
| they'll thank you by eating any baddies in your garden too :-)

Er, no. Bread (white bread, in particular) can be harmful to
most birds, because it forms a solid lump. Also, insect eating
birds either won't eat it, or will be very likely to be harmed
by it.

ahhh...this I didn't know, you live and learn :)
If my gang ever actually leave any bread long enough for it to either go
stale or mouldy, unlikely with teenagers, onto the compost heap it'll go :)
thanks nick.

Also, most birds that are not scavengers are fairly sensitive
to rotting food, and may be harmed by that. We are scavengers
(like rats) and can eat a lot of things that even other mammals
can't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.