Compost Discussion Thread (Merged Threads)

greyteam1959

Too be serious for a minute.....I have had several snakes in my compost bin they just love the warmth in there.
So seriously be careful

devmcc

Hi all...
I have a quick question - I have decided to have a compost heap at the bottom of the garden.. just in a mound as I dont think the bins will be big enough - my mum has donated loads of veg, salad and fruit for it - I also have tea bags and lots of grass cuttings - my question is:
If this is just put in a pile will it attract all kinds of nastys?? Is it worth the trouble??
Thanks as always!!

Jayar

Yes, quite possibly. This is one reason for not putting cooked stuff in a compost heap, but I would imagine that non protected veg and fruit peelings would also attract rats and mice etc. I think there is a thread on here somewhere from someone who had rats even chewing a plastic compost bin.

devmcc

Eeeewww - no. I think I may just give it a wide berth!!
Thanks!!

Jayar

Oh dear, I didn't mean to put you off entirely from the idea of composting. Though I can see now how I have done that.
Perhaps you can think of another way - say a tumbler composter?

Queen.Bess

This is partly a general question and partly a query about a particular item and whether it can go in the compost bin!

I do the usual with vegetable peelings, but wondered if there were other things that could go in which I might not have thought of!

However, the particular item in question is whether my husband's used white paper tissues can go in the bin! Much as I try to encourage him to use his cotton hankies, there always seems to be the odd tissue lying around somewhere, usually by the computer! So rather than chucking them in the bin, I was wondering if they could be added to the compost?

Jayar

The short answer is any uncooked organic matter is fine, so as paper is organic then feel free to chuck it in. Here's a link that might help
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0903/compost_heap.asp

tiff

We put in grass cuttings, toilet roll tubes, tea bags, coffee grounds, kitchen roll/tissue in addition to veg peel, egg shells etc.

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

I will probably get rotten tomatoes chucked at me for saying this but I have put cooked leftovers (NOT meat or fish) in my dalek bin for years and never had any bother with rodents.

I empty my vacuum bag in it, grass cuttings, peelings, teabags, toilet roll tubes, eggshells, coffee grounds and urine can go in too (excellent accelerator!) Also veg eating animal poo such as deer, rabbit and guinea pig droppings.

Acidity can be affected by too much onion and orange but they all go in anyway and I have just emptied my bin from last year and it was lush.

Ensure the bin is standing on soil not concrete too.

I put paper tissue in too. Big no-nos are fish, meat and human waste (in case anyone was wondering!)

There can be lots of urban myths surrounding the making of compost but if you stick to biodegradable stuff it will be lovely, I promise!

comping_cat

I dont put cooked food in, but i live in an area with squirrels, badgers and foxes, so dont want to risk attracting them (or any other rodents!!!). But i do put the things others have mentioned, plus egg boxes.