Compost cooked food?
 

"Trevor Tyrrell" wrote in message
news:4kL2c.3018$54.1804@newsfe1-win...
I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously not
meat!)

Why is this - what difference could it make?

Thanks


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The issue of what and what not to compost is more a question of rodent
attraction than quality of compost
If your compost bins are solid and rodent proof then theres no reason why
you cant compost everything
If not then make a worm bin from a plastic dustbin with a tight lid because
in 10 years rodents have not eaten into mine which are fed with every single
kitchen scrap going cooked or uncooked including meat /bones/fish etc

Compost cooked food?
 

The message
from Frogleg contains these words:

I have a vegetarian compost pile. That is, only raw veg and fruit
trimmings, coffee grounds, rinsed&crushed eggshells, etc. (plus the
other usual non-food items). I don't add any cooked or prepared food
leftovers unless they contain no butter, oil, salt, (salad dressing)
because I don't want any grease or salt in my compost.(snip)

Why do you go to such lengths to eliminate salt and grease from your
compost? There are natural oils in many plants and natural salts in many
soils, so I reckon naturally formed humus/compost/soil must contain
both. Going by the state of my windows, the soil on this island must get
drenched in sea salt all winter but remains very fertile :-)

Janet.(Isle of Arran)

Compost cooked food?
 

In article ,
Janet Baraclough.. writes:
|
| Why do you go to such lengths to eliminate salt and grease from your
| compost? There are natural oils in many plants and natural salts in many
| soils, so I reckon naturally formed humus/compost/soil must contain
| both. Going by the state of my windows, the soil on this island must get
| drenched in sea salt all winter but remains very fertile :-)

This goes back to the old saw of sowing land with salt to render
it infertile. In a location where evaporation exceeds precipitation,
that works. However, in the UK, precipitation exceeds evaporation
everywhere, and by a considerable margin in your case :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Compost cooked food?
 

On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 20:22:38 +0000 (UTC), "Robert"
wrote:

: I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously not
: meat!)

One good reason is that it can attract rats and another is that it all
settles into a 'mush' that does not allow air in for the proper composting
to occur

OTOH a womery will quite happily take all the cooked food, hoover bags
etc. that you can throw at it. Not either/or but both/and?
Derek

Compost cooked food?
 

"Trevor Tyrrell" wrote in message
news:4kL2c.3018$54.1804@newsfe1-win...
I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously not
meat!)

Why is this - what difference could it make?

Thanks


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.601 / Virus Database: 382 - Release Date: 29/02/2004


The issue of what and what not to compost is more a question of rodent
attraction than quality of compost
If your compost bins are solid and rodent proof then theres no reason why
you cant compost everything
If not then make a worm bin from a plastic dustbin with a tight lid because
in 10 years rodents have not eaten into mine which are fed with every single
kitchen scrap going cooked or uncooked including meat /bones/fish etc

Compost cooked food?
 

The message
from Frogleg contains these words:

I have a vegetarian compost pile. That is, only raw veg and fruit
trimmings, coffee grounds, rinsed&crushed eggshells, etc. (plus the
other usual non-food items). I don't add any cooked or prepared food
leftovers unless they contain no butter, oil, salt, (salad dressing)
because I don't want any grease or salt in my compost.(snip)

Why do you go to such lengths to eliminate salt and grease from your
compost? There are natural oils in many plants and natural salts in many
soils, so I reckon naturally formed humus/compost/soil must contain
both. Going by the state of my windows, the soil on this island must get
drenched in sea salt all winter but remains very fertile :-)

Janet.(Isle of Arran)

Compost cooked food?
 

OK, so how do the rats know you've cooked it? Maybe they're watching
through the kitchen window. Must be tapping my phone line. I knew we
shouldn't have gone away from BT. That must be why 136,000 people have gone
back since Christmas. Rats.


"Robert" wrote in message
...
: I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously not
: meat!)
:
: Why is this - what difference could it make?
:
: Thanks
:
:

One good reason is that it can attract rats and another is that it all
settles into a 'mush' that does not allow air in for the proper composting
to occur

..


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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.601 / Virus Database: 382 - Release Date: 29/02/2004

Compost cooked food?
 

OK, so how do the rats know you've cooked it? Maybe they're watching
through the kitchen window. Must be tapping my phone line. I knew we
shouldn't have gone away from BT. That must be why 136,000 people have gone
back since Christmas. Rats.


"Robert" wrote in message
...
: I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously not
: meat!)
:
: Why is this - what difference could it make?
:
: Thanks
:
:

One good reason is that it can attract rats and another is that it all
settles into a 'mush' that does not allow air in for the proper composting
to occur

..


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.601 / Virus Database: 382 - Release Date: 29/02/2004

Compost cooked food?
 

:
:
: "Robert" wrote in message
: ...
::: I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously
::: not meat!)
:::
::: Why is this - what difference could it make?
:::
::: Thanks
:::
:::
::
:: One good reason is that it can attract rats and another is that it
:: all settles into a 'mush' that does not allow air in for the proper
:: composting to occur
::
:: ..: OK, so how do the rats know you've cooked it? Maybe they're watching
: through the kitchen window. Must be tapping my phone line. I knew we
: shouldn't have gone away from BT. That must be why 136,000 people
: have gone back since Christmas. Rats.

Naa you're mixing up yer rats with yer moles!


Robert South West England

Compost cooked food?
 

:
:
: "Robert" wrote in message
: ...
::: I've been told not to compost cooked food (vegetables - obviously
::: not meat!)
:::
::: Why is this - what difference could it make?
:::
::: Thanks
:::
:::
::
:: One good reason is that it can attract rats and another is that it
:: all settles into a 'mush' that does not allow air in for the proper
:: composting to occur
::
:: ..: OK, so how do the rats know you've cooked it? Maybe they're watching
: through the kitchen window. Must be tapping my phone line. I knew we
: shouldn't have gone away from BT. That must be why 136,000 people
: have gone back since Christmas. Rats.

Naa you're mixing up yer rats with yer moles!


Robert South West England