'Harmless' soft weeds (annual weeds without seeds) can go straight into the compost heap or be used directly as mulch – while the 'nasties' go into another bucket, bag or barrow.
Most annual weeds pose no problems if they are added to a cool compost pile before they are mature and set seed. But throw those same dandelions into the pile after their flower heads have produced thousands of seeds, and you may experience a dandelion epidemic when that compost is later added to the garden.
Dairy, Fats, and Oils
Dairy products, such as cheese, butter, milk, sour cream, and yogurt, as well as fats and oils, should be avoided for the same reason; they attract unwanted visitors. Processed foods that contain a lot of dairy or fat should also be left out.
One way to prevent this type of weed from procreating is to pull the weed and lay it on the open ground in the sun. This lets the roots dry out completely until they're all dried out—that is, quite dead. At this point when it's thrown onto the compost pile, it's as a brown instead of a green.
Ideally, you'd even go the extra mile and dry clippings out before throwing them on the pile. The main difficulty with composting lawn grass cuttings is that they contain a lot of water. Drying them out for a day in the sun will already remove more than half the water content.
Compost tumblers were designed primarily for grass clippings as the tumbling action aerates the grass and assists in its rapid decomposition. If you don't have one, either spread the clippings thinly over garden beds or pile them up separately, moistening them down between each grass-catcher load.
Eggshells are a green compost material. Here's the thing though - they don't contain much of either nitrogen or carbon. They may normally be mixed in with your other 'green' food waste from the kitchen, and as they tend to contain more nitrogen, they're placed in the 'green' camp.
Turning once a week or once every two weeks had generally lower decomposition rates. To maintain a thermophilic pile (pile with high heat), it should be turned every three to four days, or when the temperature drops below 104 F. However, if most of the material has been decomposed, less frequent turning is adequate.
Don't put diseased plants, pet droppings (apart from chook manure), cooking fat, glossy paper, weeds with seeds, treated timber and large branches in your compost bin. Some gardeners say you should avoid adding meat and bones unless you have a larger compost system.
DON'T add meat scraps, bones, grease, whole eggs, or dairy products to the compost pile because they decompose slowly, cause odors, and can attract rodents. DON'T add pet feces or spent cat liter to the compost pile. DON'T add diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed.
Egg shells are an excellent addition to a compost pile, as they provide calcium and other key nutrients. Whole eggs, egg whites, and egg yolks do not belong in the compost pile, though.
Banana peels are a great ingredient for your compost or worm farm, adding lots of nutrients to the organic recycling process.
1 – Shredded paper is a great addition to your COMPOST pile/bin. While it isn't always possible, just make sure that glossy paper, plastic, and other none biodegradable material is not included (i.e. metallic/foil printing, etc.).
Compost loses volume over time
The shrinkage does continue but slows down considerably as the compost becomes more stable. However, it will still slowly decrease in bulk over time. If you leave it too long, you are feeding microorganisms in the compost, rather than in the soil.
If a compost pile is just left sitting, and not turned, it will take 6-12 months or longer to completely break down, depending of the climate and weather. The cooler it is, the longer it will take.
Water is one of the four essential ingredients for successful composting. Enough H2O in a pile will help compost microorganisms break down organic wastes. The trick is getting the moisture level just right! Too little, and the microorganisms will struggle to work; too much, and they'll be starved of oxygen.
– Most people shudder when they see maggots in their bin composter or compost pile. They may be startling in their appearance and movement, but they won't hurt you or the compost. In fact, they play a role in breaking down plant and animal tissues.
Do tea bags break down in compost? Paper tea bags are safe to compost. In fact, they will break down just as quickly as the tea leaves inside of them. On the other hand, plastic tea bags are not biodegradable.
Whole egg shells can take years to break down on their own. Best practice is rinsing your egg shells before adding them to the bin as well. This will avoid attracting pests. After cracking my eggs, I just turn on my faucet and give them a quick rinse before placing them in my kitchen countertop compost pail.
Compost Accelerator refers to any organic materials that stimulate the fertilization process. For compost-related products, it is known as the “Activator Agent” which contains a huge amount of bacteria and fungi.
Sure! Grass clippings make excellent compost and require less from the composter. It is very easy and essentially, you do nothing.
If your pile is not getting hot enough, you will need to add some nitrogen rich products such as garden waste, coffee grounds, or grass clippings. If the compost is getting too hot, you can add some high carbon scraps such as shredded cardboard, sawdust, or straw mulch.