| Ashes |
Maybe |
From untreated wood or paper, yes, in small amounts;
but not from barbecues, plywood, coloured or glossy paper
|
| Banana Skins |
Yes |
Decompose rapidly; can help to activate a slow compost;
loaded with plant nutrients
|
| Cardboard |
Yes |
Shred, soak, and mix with "greens"; but
try first to reuse or recycle it
|
| Citrus Fruits |
Yes |
Shred rinds; bury in compost to discourage fruit
flies
|
| Coffee Grounds |
Yes |
Good earthworm food; use directly on many plants;
compost shredded filters, too
|
| Corn Cobs |
Yes |
Shred; adds both fibre and nutrients to compost;
good mulch; slow to break down
|
| Dairy Products |
No |
Fats seal off air from compost; odours attract pests
|
| Diseased Plants |
No |
Compost heat may not destroy disease; destroy or
discard to avoid spreading
|
| Dishwater |
Maybe |
If water doesn't contain grease or chemical cleansers, use it to wet pile
|
| Dust and Lint |
Maybe |
Use vacuum cleaner debris and lint from clothes
dryer, if mostly natural fibres
|
| Eggshells |
Yes |
Dry and crush first; good earthworm food; slow to
break down; help neutralize acidity; as mulch, may discourage slugs
|
| Evergreen Needles |
Maybe |
Highly acidic; better yet, use as mulch
|
| Fabrics |
Maybe |
Small scraps of wool, cotton, felt and silk; not
synthetic fibres or blends
|
| Feathers |
Yes |
Keep somewhat wetter than usual; extremely high
in nitrogen
|
| Fish |
Maybe |
Odours and pests are problems with fresh or smoked
fish, but dried fishmeal is fine
|
| Grass Clippings |
Yes |
Available and valuable; mix well to avoid clumps;
leave some clippings to feed lawn
|
| Hair |
Yes |
Both human and pet hair; keep quite damp; avoid
using if coloured with chemicals
|
| Hay and Straw |
Yes |
Very good fibre, nutrients usually low
|
| Leaves |
Yes |
Shred and soak; add both nutrients and fibre; tend
to be slightly acidic
|
| Manure |
Yes |
Cow, horse, pig, rabbit, poultry -- the fresher
the better -- helps any compost
|
| Meat and Bones |
No |
Odours and pests are problems; but dried, ground
bonemeal is fine source of nitrogen
|
| Soil |
Yes |
Adds decomposer soil organisms; scatter lightly
through pile to avoid compacting
|
| Nutshells |
Maybe |
Crush delicate shells like peanuts; heavier shells
are better used as decorative mulch
|
| Paper |
Maybe |
Shred; not glossy/coloured which contain chemicals;
better to recycle if possible
|
| Pet Wastes |
No |
Risk of pathogens and parasites; use only barnyard
manure (horse, cow, sheep, etc.)
|
| Rhubarb |
Maybe |
Raw leaves poisonous to humans; composted leaves
may harm insects and other plants; stems are fine; roots may continue
to grow
|
| Sawdust |
Maybe |
Hardwood sawdust, yes, in very small quantities;
softwoods may inhibit composting; plywood may contain chemicals
|
| Seafood Shells |
Yes |
Crush or grind very finely; break down very slowly;
reduce acidity; good mulch
|
| Seaweed |
Yes |
Rinse off salt so it won’t contaminate soil;
great fertilizer
|
| Sod |
Yes |
Knock off excess soil; pile upside down; cover to
prevent rooting; compost separately to avoid compaction
|
| Soup |
Maybe |
Vegetable, yes; do not use soups with cream or meat-based
broths to avoid odours and pests; read labels on canned soups.
|
| Tea Leaves |
Yes |
High in nitrogen; can be applied directly to some
plants; compost tea bags too
|
| Toadstools |
Yes |
Decompose quickly; excellent source of many minerals
|
| Weeds |
Yes |
Discard mature seeds, persistent roots, weeds treated
with herbicides/pesticides
|
| Wood Chips |
Yes |
Shred if possible and soak; use big pieces as mulch
first, compost when weathered |
