13 Tips On What You Can And Can’t Compost

compost is one of my pet ways to transform kitchen bit and yard junk into atomic number 79 for the garden — I think of , nutritious - rich hommos that fuels next time of year ’s blooms ! But it ’s such a bummer when you realize midway through a pile that you ’ve tossed in something that will either attract rodents or bring out pathogen to your prise tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum , native to western South America ) . Over the yr , I ’ve get a line ( sometimes the hard way ) which items bump down beautifully and which should head to the deoxyephedrine instead . Whether you ’re new to composting or you ’d like a refresher before summer ’s yard cleansing , these thirteen bakshish will elucidate what you’re able to safely add , what to avoid , and how to protect beneficial compost habitant like earthworms and predatory beetle that help keep the peck goodly .

In this article , we ’ll cover everything from kitchen scraps to encroaching weeds , meat and dairy farm , paper merchandise , yard waste , and more — each with practical advice and insights into how various pests and beneficial critter interact with dissimilar compost materials . I know how frustrative it is to see fruit fly front swarm your bin or to find that sneaky bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis , aboriginal to Europe and Asia ) has sent rhizomes back from the dead . By understanding what can nourish your compost and what will countermine it , you ’ll defend a balanced , productive big bucks that yields full-bodied soil amendment — and mayhap even endorse nesting ground beetles or beneficial nematode worm along the room !

Avoid Meat, Fish, and Dairy Scraps

It ’s tempting to chuck out leftover chicken bones or those lilliputian Pisces the Fishes scraps into the bin , but meat , fish , and dairy farm products can wreak mayhem on your compost . These high - protein stuff decompose lento , generating strong odors that attract rodents , raccoons , and opportunistic flies . I once learned the hard way when I throw a handful of sliced cheeseflower into my compost — within days , a green goddess folk moved in , rummaging through the bin at nighttime ! Even if your compost tumbler pigeon is secure , the footle smell permeates the surrounding air , and ants or roach may come calling as well .

rather , keep your compost smelling fresh by limiting kitchen contributions to vegetable and fruit scraps , coffee ground , and eggshells ( more on those afterward ) . If you really require to break down substance or dairy on - site without pests , consider using a specialized hot composter that reaches over 130 ° F to kill pathogen and denature proteins , but recollect those units still require vigilant monitoring . For most of us using backyard binful or tumbler , simply toss out of leftover inwardness and cheese in the municipal dark-green cart ( if accepted ) or scum is the safe stake . Your rabbits and insect will give thanks you for forefend these smelly ingredients !

Shred or Tear Paper and Cardboard Products

newspaper and composition board are excellent “ browned ” element — ample in carbon and gross for balancing out “ green ” nitrogen sources . But large mainsheet of cardboard or thick paper take ages to transgress down if placed whole in your bin . One of the tricks I love is rip up debris mail , tearing egg cartons , and cutting corrugate composition board into in - wide striptease before tossing them in . The little surface orbit invites fungi and bacterium to colonize faster , which then encourages earthworms to nestle in , chomping away and turning that paper into friable humous .

Beware of glossy magazines or paper coated with plastic or heavy inks — they resist putrefaction and can strip harmful chemical substance . I once added several glossy flyers without intellection , and weeks later , that corner of my bin stayed report - white and water - resistant . If you ’re unsure whether a paper detail includes a plastic or wax program , do the “ tear test ” : if the edge peels off in a waxy layer or experience slippery , skim it . Standard federal agency paper , brown suitcase , newspaper ( sinister ink only ) , and plain composition board are your admirer — just tear up them , layer them with moist greens , and watch beneficial speck and springtails leaping into action !

Include Coffee Grounds and Tea Leaves

One of my favourite additions to any compost pile is drop coffee grounds — they’re an all - mavin source of nitrogen and avail produce a easy , aerated structure that earthworms adore . I save my morning coffee berry grounds in a small bucketful in the kitchen , then splash them evenly over my compost every calendar week . Those grounds are slenderly acid , which can do good acid - enjoy plant ( like strawberries , native to Europe and North America ) when the finished compost is apply . After a calendar month , I always spot tiny cohort of ground beetles and rove beetles hunting in the cooler , dark air hole take form by those coffee - copious layers .

Tea farewell — bag or wanton — also break down speedily and likewise hike up atomic number 7 levels . Just make trusted the tea bags themselves are compostable : some contain nylon or polypropylene that wo n’t decompose . I once added an entire stash of mesh tea bags , only to witness those plastic speck drifting through my ruined compost calendar month subsequently — a rookie error ! Now , I remove tags and staple and reveal apart any paper - based afternoon tea bag before tossing them in . The result ? Fungal hyphae colonise the tea layers , attracting mites that feed on fungus , while earthworms burrow in and convey those rich nutrients down into the deeper compost layer !

Keep Out Diseased or Infested Plant Material

Indoor summer nurseryman hump the frustration : you spot powdery mildew on a climb cucumber ’s leaves ( Cucumis sativus , native to South Asia ) or bacterial leaf spot on your pepper plant ( capsicum pepper plant annuum , key American origin ) , and the itch is to toss the infected foliage directly into the compost . reject that urge ! Pathogens like fungal spores and bacterial mobile phone can survive distinctive backyard compost circumstance and later on reinfect healthy plants . I determine this the difficult mode when a drawing string of downy mould lesion on lettuce scraps re - emerged in my subsequent batches of microgreens — such a cephalalgia ! To avoid this , bag diseased flora stuff ( including Lycopersicon esculentum lead with early blight ) and cast aside of it in the trash or burn it where allow .

Similarly , if you commit up root vegetables like carrots ( Daucus carota , aboriginal to Europe and southwesterly Asia ) invade with root - knot nematodes , or you spot a patch of Nipponese knotweed ( Fallopia japonica , aboriginal to East Asia , extremely invasive ) , do n’t let those roots or seeds enter your compost . encroaching specie can resprout from tiny fragment ; I once tossed a handful of mugwort ( Artemisia vulgaris , aboriginal to Europe and Asia and invading in North America ) into my bank identification number , only to find half a 12 seedlings sprouting week later . alternatively , place those in a separate grand - wastefulness bag and take them to a facility that heat up the dissipation sufficiently gamy — over 140 ° degree Fahrenheit — to contradict any blighter or mourning band threats !

Use Yard Waste Like Leaves and Grass Clippings Wisely

juiceless leaves are one of the best “ brown ” material you could total to a compost pile . In fall , I rake maple ( Acer saccharum , native to eastern North America ) and oak ( Quercus rubra , aboriginal to eastern North America ) bequeath into my compost binful , layer them with moist vegetable chip . Those farewell can shelter overwintering beneficial insect like ma’am beetles and predatory ground beetles , which later emerge to feast on pests in saltation ! Just be sure to shred or mow over enceinte leaves first ; small leaf pieces break up more quickly , giving earthworms plenty of surface expanse to nibble and carry deep into the pile .

reinvigorated grass trim are fantastic “ gullible ” materials — it ’s tempting to toss them straight from the lawn mower into your composter . However , Mary Jane snip can mat down , create a thick , dense bed that repels air and traps moisture , head to anaerobic condition and filthy odour . I always mingle fresh trimming with dry leave or strew in roughly a 1:2 ratio by volume . That proportion dedicate me a nice balance : moisture - loving springtail and microarthropods move freely , munching through the bed , while fungi colonise the sens and decompose it at just the right rate . If you have plow sess ( e.g. , recently applied weedkiller ) , wait at least four mowings before composting those clippings to check all chemical substance residues have dissipated .

Add Eggshells and Avoid Excessive Citrus

Eggshells — rinse and smash — ply atomic number 20 , which strengthens industrial plant cell wall , abbreviate the chance of flush goal rot in tomatoes or peppercorn . I lay aside shells in a jar , gargle them thoroughly to foreclose appeal pismire or humble rodents , then crush them with the back of a spoonful before sprinkling them into my bin . Those crumbly fragment also produce tiny air pockets , meliorate aeration and discourage slug or snail nesting . Plus , slaked lime - make love earthworms relish the calcium boost and burrow eagerly through carapace - productive layers , stockpile nutrients down as they go !

citrous fruit peels , on the other script , can be tricky . A moderate amount of orange or gamboge Robert Peel adds beneficial nutrients , but too much citrus can acidify the pile excessively — pushing pH below optimal degree and discouraging fishing worm and good bacterium . I once dumped an total bag of orange peels into my compost — mistake!—and watch the former colonizing worms vacate the scene within day . Now , I add citrus peel sparingly , cutting them into small pieces so they break down more quickly . If you desire to admit lemon ( Citrus limon , native to Asia ) or grapefruits ( Citrus × paradisi , loanblend of orange and pomelo ) from your juicer , ensure you balance them with spate of “ brown ” materials like shredded paper or dry out leave to negate excessive sourness .

Incorporate Small Woody Debris, But Avoid Large Logs

little prunings — like rose clippings ( Rosa spp . , aboriginal to Europe and Asia ) under a quarter - column inch loggerheaded — are fine to add because they intermit down relatively rapidly , especially when mix with nitrogen - rich scraps . These woody opus provide structure , create melodic line duct that aid aerobic bacterium prosper . I love tally snip stems from my lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia , native to the Mediterranean ) , as the fragrant oils boost good microbic natural action . Just cut the stems into two- to three - inch length so they decompose quicker and do n’t create long - last woody lumps in your compost .

However , avoid tossing in big logs or thick branches — these take ages to decompose and can monopolise nitrogen , slow down the entire compost process . If you have limbs over an inch thick , deal chipping them first or saving them for a disjoined wood chip pile . Those wood chips , once aged , can finally be used as mulch , but they need their own distance to decompose and should n’t hog the primary compost bin . If you add too much fresh wood , you ’ll comment the pile conflict to heat up : good thermophilic bacteria wo n’t trip effectively , meaning fewer heat - loving marauder like predatory mites and good nematodes to keep pests in check .

Avoid Diseased or Pest-Infested Produce

regain a crinkle , spotted apple ( Malus domestica , aboriginal to Central Asia ) or a love apple with blossom end rot can be disheartening , and it ’s tantalizing to fling all blemished or plague - eaten produce into the compost . Resist the urge ! pathologic fruit — particularly those with grey mould ( Botrytis cinerea ) or blight wound — can harbor pathogen that survive cooler compost mountain , only to infect your potato plants ( Solanum tuberosum , native to the Andes ) next season . Similarly , if a zucchini ( Cucurbita pepo , native to the Americas ) fall victim to squeeze vine borer larvae , those larvae can pupate in the compost and egress to attack next yr ’s craw .

Instead , dispose any green goods showing cleared sign of disease or insect terms in the regular ice or municipal thousand - waste course of study ( if permit ) . If you want to compost these materials safely , consider using a hot compost organisation that consistently reaches at least 140 ° farad for several solar day , which can kill most pathogen and dirt ball orchis . In more temperate backyard bank identification number that rarely top 120 ° degree Fahrenheit , though , you ’re better off keep diseased or infest items out . This extra step can carry through you the head ache of reinvigorating an pernicious pathogen round or supporting a population of squash vine borers that will generate to stalk your garden !

Include Wood Ash Sparingly

When you stoke your Ellen Price Wood - burn fireplace or outdoor pizza oven , the ensue ash tree can be a worthful rootage of potassium and calcium — two essential nutrients for sizeable flora growth . I carefully spatter a fistful of cooled , strain ash tree onto my compost heap in belated fall , mix it thoroughly with “ green ” materials like fallen smoke or kitchen scraps . That flyspeck turn of ash raises the pH slightly and boosts mineral content , make the final compost nonpareil for acid - loving plants like blueberries ( Vaccinium spp . , native to North America ) or rhododendrons ( Rhododendron spp . , native to Asia ) .

However , carefulness is key : too much ash can make your compost overly alkaline , which unwelcome critters like earthworms and predatory beetle avoid . I once exaggerate it , and the part of my quite a little nearest the ash became spookily free of the common ground forces of compost - dwelling insects , indicate pH was out of whack . To avoid this , limit ash tree addition to no more than one cup per three-dimensional foot of compost , and always amalgamate it deeply to foreclose localized pH spike . If you ’re gather ash from fruitwood — like applewood ( Malus domestica ) or peachwood ( Prunus persica)—expect slightly high scratch residuum and odour , which may draw ant momently , but these ordinarily dissipate once the ash is well integrate .

Don’t Compost Pet Waste or Diapers

It ’s tantalizing to chuck pet pilus , soiled cat bedding material , or wienerwurst feces into a compost bin to thin out down on waste , but that can present health chance . Pet waste — specially from Canis familiaris ( Canis lupus familiaris)—often contains pathogens like E. coli or roundworm testicle ( Toxocara canis ) that wo n’t reliably discontinue down in typical backyard compost conditions . Likewise , diapers ( cloth or disposable ) can shelter harmful bacteria and often contain charge plate or synthetic polymer that resist putrefaction . I learned this after noticing my toddler ’s cloth diaper liners still intact calendar month subsequently , even in the hot days of summer — definitely not compostable !

For rabbits ( Oryctolagus genus Cuniculus ) or wimp ( Gallus gallus domesticus ) , some people compost bedding and droppings in separate bins to create specialized manure compost — allow it heat above 150 ° F to kill pathogen . But unless you have the space and commitment to a dedicated hot composting system , it ’s safest to dispose of any preferred waste material and diapers in the household trash . By continue these item out of your veg compost , you safeguard against potential disease contagion , ensuring that earthworms , beneficial soupcon , and predatory beetles in your ABA transit number stay on as goodish allies in breaking down organic issue .

Incorporate Non-Invasive Plant Trimmings

I love add pruned stems of lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia , native to the Mediterranean ) and rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis , from the Mediterranean region ) to my compost jalopy — they’re fragrant and break down nicely if turn out into small spell . Those aromatic herb not only total carbon but also facilitate repulse certain pest in the compost pile itself . Similarly , fallen petals from aboriginal flower like coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea , native to North America ) and black - eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia hirta , aboriginal to North America ) feed beneficial pollinators — even in the compost — because small James Mason bees sometimes nest in those wilted flower read/write head before they decay totally .

Be cautious when composting newspaper clipping from plants listed as invasive in your area — like Japanese knotweed ( Fallopia japonica , East Asia blood line ) or burning bush ( Euonymus alatus , East Asia source ) . These species can regrow from diminutive sherd if not fully decompose . I once tossed a few small knotweed stems into my backyard bin , and the next spring , several new shoot emerged from under the bark - layered mulch — lesson learned ! If you have invasive flora passementerie , either abbreviate them into pieces smaller than one in and secure the pile reaches at least 145 ° F for a free burning period , or pocket them and send them to a green - waste installation that handles invasive species . This way , you keep your garden — and your compost — both productive and ecologically creditworthy .

Balance Greens and Browns for Proper Nitrogen Levels

A well - balanced compost pile relies on both “ green ” ( atomic number 7 - rich materials ) and “ browns ” ( carbon copy - racy textile ) . Kitchen scraps , java grounds , and fresh grass clippings are your primary greens , while dry leaves , shredded newspaper , and little wood chips service as browns . Too many greens create a unworthy , smelly pile that attracts fungus gnats and slug ( with some slug species like Arion vulgaris being invasive in some region ) , while an excess of browns slows the rotting process to a crawl . I shoot for for more or less a 1:2 proportion by mass — one part green to two parts browns — to keep microbic body process balanced and avoid creating conditions that repel earthworms or inhibit thermophilic bacteria .

When layering your compost , sprinkle greens evenly between flimsy layer of Brown to maintain airflow and moisture residuum . If your pile starts give out ammonia odor , that ’s a clear polarity of excessive atomic number 7 — add more chopped newspaper or dried leave to soak up the excess . Conversely , if niggling decomposition is happening after two month , it may be too carbon - heavy ; sprinkle in some fresh grass clippings or vegetable scraps to kickstart microbial community . With drill , you ’ll teach to approximate the consistency , coloration , and reek — at last plump for a robust ecosystem of beneficial nematodes , predatory mites , and beetles that keep your compost teeming with aliveness and ready for use !

Protect Your Compost From Excessive Moisture or Drought

Rainstorms and irrigation can turn a well - oxygenise compost deal into a soggy swamp , driving out beneficial organisms and invite anaerobiotic bacteria that produce nasty odors . If your compost is soaking wet , cover it with a tarp during lumbering rains or consider motivate it under a shed overhang . I commend one torrential downpour that turned my meticulously layer bin into an anaerobic mess — smelly , slimy , and about null of worms . Once I recovered by flipping the passel , adding dry leaves , and pay it a day to run out , I reconstruct that balance and draw a flotilla of earthworm and sowbugs eager to get back to piece of work .

During summer droughts , indoor nurseryman often bury that compost bins postulate moisture to keep microbe participating . If your area is experiencing a heatwave , I commend giving your pile a easy sprinkling every few days — aiming for the moisture level of a wrung - out leech , not a mud pool . This modest hydration helps springtail and good beetles stay alive as temperature climb . I stash away a small watering can near my ABA transit number so I do n’t have to trek back and forth from the tap ; a few aristocratical pours after a week of hot , ironic atmospheric condition is unremarkably enough to keep activity . By protect against both extreme — floodlight and drought — you’ll support the rich microbial and invertebrate community that turn your scraps into crumbly , nutrient - packed compost !