What Can You Add To The Compost Pile?
That seems to be the question everyone has, what can or cannot be added to the compost pile.
Here’s a quick list of what you can and can’t include in your compost.
What can you add to compost:
eggshells
grass clippings
horse or cow manure
rabbit droppings
vegetable peels
straw
leaves
rotting fruits of vegetables
shredded newspaper
weeds(but watch for seeds)
used coffee grounds
seaweed
What not to put in compost:
dog or cat droppings
any type of meat
While composting is not an exact science you should add approximately one part green material (vegetable peels, rotting fruit, grass clippings) to 25 parts brown material (leaves, newspaper, straw).
Image: (c) Linette Gerlach
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9 opinions for What Can You Add To The Compost Pile?
dh
Apr 25, 2008 at 8:39 am
Did you know that Starbucks keeps a bucket inside the door (only the good ones do this) where they package up their old grounds for people to take home to put in the compost pile? Usually my kids fight over who doesn’t have to go inside and look for the bag but we have brought home a few and dumped them into the pile.
Peggy
Apr 26, 2008 at 7:30 am
Not only can you put those grounds in compost, but they are also meant to be immediate plant fertilizer as well.
Marye
Apr 27, 2008 at 8:17 am
Be careful if you are organic gardening to watch what non-organic items you compost. For example potato peels have one of hte highest concentrations of chemicals and toxins in our food chain. Many people think nothing of adding them to their compost.
Peggy
Apr 27, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Marye. Now I’m afraid of eating tater peelings. Guess I have to always buy organic! Smile.
Linette
Apr 27, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Or grow your own:)
cindy
Apr 28, 2008 at 12:26 am
Is there any toxins in newspaper that you would not want in your compost pile?
Daniel
May 30, 2008 at 2:22 am
I’m interested in composting. Why can’t one add meat to a compost pile?
linette
May 30, 2008 at 11:08 am
Daniel, meat smells horrible when it’s rotting, and will attract all kinds of unwanted pests. It could also cause illnesses if it’s not completely composted when it’s spread on the garden.
Daniel
Jun 2, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Linette,
Thanks for the information!
Daniel
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