What Kinds of Things can I Compost?

Once you've personally used all the compost you need, you can either choose to stop with the piles or try selling it. Where I live, few people compost, so it is very popular. People especially like that it is supporting a local person instead of buying compost from a bag.

You might be surprised how long it takes to build a good compost pile, though, so it might not be as big a problem as you anticipate.

Something I have never quite understood is when you know you can start using the compost or what the whole process is. Do you just keep throwing new things into the pile as you take old dirt away, or are you just supposed to make one pile, use it, and start a new one? I just don't understand how you stop the new waste from mixing with the old that you want to take out.

If you were using one of the bins, you would also have the problem of the thing getting full eventually. What's the point of composting if you can't compost everything? Finally, what are you supposed to do once you get all the compost you need for your yard?

@cardsfan27 - I'll second that. I was cutting down a bunch of garlic mustard from my fence row and put it into the compost pile without thinking anything of it.

Once I actually used the compost, the plants started sprouting up all over the place. It was a nightmare to get rid of them. I have heard the same thing can happen with thistle plants. If you are pulling up any plants like those, it's best to just burn them or put them in a pile where the seeds can't escape.

@leilani - I have never heard about pine needles causing problems. It brings up a good point, though, that you should always check what types of things you're throwing in your compost pile.

For example, almost every part of walnut trees has a chemical in it that stops things from growing. Walnut leaves and husks and everything else should decompose just fine, but once you put it on your garden, it could kill the plants.

Letting the seeds of certain weeds into the compost pile can also cause problems, especially if the seeds get spread to other parts of the yard.

I hate going out to the compost pile every time that I peel a carrot or a potato. So, I got a compost bucket that I can keep in my kitchen until it is full. This cuts down on the trips I have to make out in the cold.

The bucket has a charcoal filter in it that keeps odors from filling the house. I didn't believe it would work when I first heard about it, because I know how bad rotten fruits and vegetables can stink. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

Now, I just pick up the bucket and take it to the pile whenever it is full, which is usually after several weeks. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to do a compost pile.

@JackWhack – You could get a rotating composter. It has lids at both ends, so your dogs couldn't get into the compost.

My neighbor has one of these. It's basically a big barrel that is hooked to a stand on both sides. He just rotates the barrel every couple of days, and he doesn't even have to use a pitchfork.

It's about the easiest way to make compost. The best part is that you don't have to worry about critters getting into your pile.

I can't do compost gardening because of my dogs. They will eat anything that I throw out in the yard.

I've even seen them eat watermelon rinds and pecan shells! I would think that nut shells would be painful as they move through their digestive systems, so I've stopped throwing them outside.

My mother is a cat person, and she has told me repeatedly that if I had a cat instead of dogs, I could have a glorious compost pile. I wish there was a way for me to make compost, but I guess there isn't.

I had no idea you could throw coffee grounds and tea bags onto a compost pile! I don't have any trees in my yard, and the guy I pay to mow it always bags the clippings and takes them with him, so I've never had anything to compost.

I would love to start using compost instead of fertilizer that is full of chemicals. I have a flower bed that would probably do much better with decomposed organic matter.

You shouldn't compost any meat, bones, or dairy. It will draw animals to your pile.

Can bones from different meats be composted?

Do not mix anything from conifer plants in your compost pile. The substance in the leaves will interfere with the fermentation process.

I believe you can add any weed roots as long as they are not too woody and have not been around herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Weeds and garden trimmings are good source of Nitrogen.

Can weed roots be put into the compost?