The easiest to compost are weeds that grow as annuals that come up profusely from seed, such as dandelions and chickweed. The only proviso is to get them before they go to seed and then just bury them in a properly constructed 'hot' compost heap that will break them down so they do not survive to reproduce.
Weeds have many nutrients so they are a great addition to the compost pile, but you do not want compost filled with viable weed seeds. The best time to take care of weeds is when they are small and have not established deep roots or seed heads (easier to pull, too, especially if ground is still moist).
You'll be amazed just how quickly weeds can grow in compost. Weed seeds or roots that have been left near the surface of the pile will germinate and start to grow. Invasive plant species have adapted over millennia to grow in the harshest conditions.
You can add clippings to the backyard compost pile. Composting involves mixing grass clippings and other plant materials with a small amount of soil containing microorganisms that decompose organic matter. Grass clippings are excellent additions to a compost pile because of their high nitrogen content.
Yes, you can compost dandelions – but a bit of care is needed. Dandelions with their roots attached should be avoided as they have a tendency to regrow.
Hot Composting
A properly maintained hot compost pile will kill weed seeds, as well as many other pathogens, so you can compost weeds without having to worry about them popping up in your garden beds.
Secondly, do not add thorny rose stems, bulbs, any flowers that have been treated with toxic herbicides and certain poisonous plants to your compost. The overall reason is that they can slow down the decomposition process, with the thorny stems as well as bulbs, corms and tubers taking up to two years to rot.
Brown or woody materials such as autumn leaves, wood chips, sawdust, and shredded paper are high in carbon.
Cardboard in the compost heap
Roughly torn into pieces cardboard will rot down well in the compost heap so long as it is mixed in with greens and not layered. Corrugated cardboard works even better because the corrugations hold it open until they decompose.
As a rule of thumb, actively decomposing materials should be turned every three to four days. Materials with slowed microbial activity can be turned less often. In tumblers, turning two times a week resulted in higher temperature and faster decomposition than turning once a week or once every other week (Figure 1).
In cold composting, you simply keep adding material to your compost pile without turning it. It is in contrast to hot composting, where you turning the compost pile regularly to create heat during the composting process.
A: You can hot compost them to kill off weed seeds and roots. Q: Can you put weeds into a compost pile? A: You can, but you'll have to wait for the weeds to break down to use the compost. This can take up to two years for some weeds in a cool compost heap.
Although sun-drying weeds for 2 to 3 weeks or soaking them for 2 to 3 months kills the weeds and their seeds, it won't break them down completely. Compost that's 115 to 140°F can kill 90% of some weed seeds within hours to days, but these weeds won't be fully composted.
Left to their own devices, weeds also help to improve the fertility of the soil.
Let's just start out by saying: putting egg shells in your compost is okay; they are a rich source of calcium and other essential nutrients that plants need.
Banana peels are a great ingredient for your compost or worm farm, adding lots of nutrients to the organic recycling process.
Peas and beans are the two most common crops used to replenish the nitrogen content of the soil.
Citrus fruit, tomato products and pickled food products can do harm to your compost. High acidity can actually kill the good bacteria that helps break down the material in your compost pile.
Bad leaves for compost: Bad leaves are those higher in lignin and lower in nitrogen and calcium. These include beech, oak leaves, holly, and sweet chestnut. Also, make sure to avoid using leaves of black walnut and eucalyptus as these plants contain natural herbicides that will prevent seeds from germinating.
The short answer is yes. Onions, like any other vegetable, are organic matter and so they can be composted.