| Friday Five: What NOT to Put in the Compost |
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| Written by Heleigh Bostwick Friday, 28 September 2012 | |||
 Composting is one of those eco-friendly gardening practices that just about anyone can do. After all, there's not much to it. Throw in a few clumps of grass clippings, a bunch of dead leaves, shredded newspaper (and junk mail if you're so inclined), coffee grounds, tea bags, kitchen waste, and just about anything that's biodegradable and in no time you'll have rich compost suitable for the garden. But not every type of waste is destined for the compost heap. Some organic waste should NOT be thrown into the compost bin. 1. Vegetable waste that includes tomato and pepper seeds should be avoided unless you're prepared to deal with tomato and pepper plants sprouting all over the garden. 2. Invasive weed plants and seeds including morning glories and comfrey roots have no place in the compost pile--unless you want them sprouting all over the yard and choking out your other plants. 3. Diseased plants. This may seem like an obvious one, but it's easy to overlook. 4. Pet "manure",a.k.a. dogs and cats feces (and cats litter from the litter box). 5. Animal products (including dairy products like cheese) of any kind such as meat, grease, and bones also have no place in the compost bin. Not only will they smell bad, as they decompose this type of waste will attract vermin. |
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