Could some kind person please explain why we do not add citrus fruit to
compost ?

Also what is the reasoning as regards the onion family ?

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:00:43 +0200, "Wanadoo"
wrote:

Could some kind person please explain why we do not add citrus fruit to
compost ?

Also what is the reasoning as regards the onion family ?

In my reading about wormeries lately I read that you should not put
citrus or onion in a worm bin because they are too acid for the worms.
It is necessary to keep worm bins on the alkaline side by adding lime
or calcified seaweed.
However I have always put them on my compost heaps with no adverse
effects.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:00:43 +0200, "Wanadoo"
wrote:

Could some kind person please explain why we do not add citrus fruit to
compost ?

Also what is the reasoning as regards the onion family ?

Both go on my heaps and in the wormeries, no problem.

If I had to think of a reason for avoiding onions I would guess that
it might be possible to pass on spores from some of the fungal
diseases that onions are prone to...but then follows standard advice
not to compost diseased material unless you're sure your process will
deal with it.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article ,
(Stephen Howard) wrote:

diseases that onions are prone to...but then follows standard advice
not to compost diseased material unless you're sure your process will
deal with it.

You might not know the disease organisms were present on bought onions.
If you imported certain onion diseases into your garden, it could take
8 years to get rid of them.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 02:37 +0100 (BST), (Steve
Harris) wrote:

In article ,
(Stephen Howard) wrote:

diseases that onions are prone to...but then follows standard advice
not to compost diseased material unless you're sure your process will
deal with it.

You might not know the disease organisms were present on bought onions.
If you imported certain onion diseases into your garden, it could take
8 years to get rid of them.

True, but also true of diseases that affect other plants...brassicas
for example.
The same diseases could be bought in via seedlings too.

Sooner or later you have to trust to luck and common sense.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article ,
Stephen Howard writes:
|
| diseases that onions are prone to...but then follows standard advice
| not to compost diseased material unless you're sure your process will
| deal with it.
|
| You might not know the disease organisms were present on bought onions.
| If you imported certain onion diseases into your garden, it could take
| 8 years to get rid of them.
|
| True, but also true of diseases that affect other plants...brassicas
| for example.
| The same diseases could be bought in via seedlings too.
|
| Sooner or later you have to trust to luck and common sense.

Yes. The issue is made FAR too much of. Organisms that are
common and typically wind-spread are not an issue, as they will
arrive anyway. Ones without persistant, durable spores aren't,
either, as they will rarely transmit. This leaves a far smaller
number of possibilities than is commonly thought.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In message , Steve
Harris writes
In article ,
(Stephen Howard) wrote:

diseases that onions are prone to...but then follows standard advice
not to compost diseased material unless you're sure your process will
deal with it.

You might not know the disease organisms were present on bought onions.
If you imported certain onion diseases into your garden, it could take
8 years to get rid of them.

That is the main reason why composting onions is not usually
recommended. The white onion rot spores are tough and will persist for
several years until another host crop is grown.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Wanadoo wrote:
Could some kind person please explain why we do not add citrus fruit to
compost ?

Also what is the reasoning as regards the onion family ?

Is it any problem at all that citrus rind attracts swarms of fruit
flies? Although all fruit/veg wastes do.

Seb

"Seb" wrote in message
...
Wanadoo wrote:
Could some kind person please explain why we do not add citrus
fruit to
compost ?

Also what is the reasoning as regards the onion family ?

Is it any problem at all that citrus rind attracts swarms of fruit
flies? Although all fruit/veg wastes do.

No problem. They contribute their little bit to he composting
process.

Franz