Composting or Not Composting?

Composting or Not Composting?

Composting, without a doubt, is a beneficial habit that each self-respecting gardener should master. But the actual issue is which things we could compost and which we couldn't. Composting, we've been taught, may be done with any organic waste. In principle, that is correct; nevertheless, in practice, this is not always the case.

There are numerous organic items that should not be put in the compost pile until you know how to do it correctly, while others should not be tried at all, even by professionals. The issue is whether to compost or not to compost. Or let's see if we can come up with some solutions.

For home composters like you and me, there are a variety of materials accessible inside our own homes and even in our own gardens. The large commercial composters have an edge over us. They can compost more materials than we can because they have facilities to redirect, disguise, or absorb the stench that may be produced by composting a large amount of organic waste. We do not have that luxury. We don't want our neighbors staging a protest demonstration in our own backyard against our composting, do we?

Don't be concerned; there are still many items that we might add to our compost pile. Let's start with something our front yard is constantly desperate to get rid of: extra grass. Yes, grass clippings from our lawn may be put to greater use, such as in our backyard compost bin. That might also work in instances where you have hay instead of grass clippings.

Farmers often use hay as a composting material. Farmers will be more than happy to get rid of that hay. Or when it comes to composting hay, choose the greener varieties. Green hay has a high level of nitrogen.

Other items include vegetable peels, fruit rinds, tea bags, eggshells, and coffee grounds. These chemicals have a high nitrogen content. However, be careful to keep pests away from your kitchen garbage. Some people would rather create a compost container for their cooking garbage. Others prefer to bury these wastes under eight inches of dirt. And, since they specifically attract bugs, it is advisable to avoid adding meat leftovers, milk products, or bones.

Wood chips, wood shavings, sawdust, paper, and other wood products are typically safe to compost. However, avoid using wood that has been chemically treated. Arsenic is an extremely hazardous substance that is sometimes used to cure wood. Using sawdust from such treated wood products is not recommended since the chemicals will leach into the soil and do more damage than good.

In terms of no-nos, there are a few more items you should avoid putting in your compost. Plants that perished as a result of a disease should be excluded. There is still a chance that the pathogen that killed the plants may infect your future ones.

Similarly, human, dog, and cat excrement are not used as composting materials because they contain organisms that might cause sickness. Such a sickness might make people ill or harm your plants.

Even though grasses may be composted, it is advisable to prevent weeds such as morning glory, ivy, sheep, and grasses that may grow in your compost pile. Weed seeds may also survive the compost pile and be transported to your next garden.

So, to return to our original question: to compost or not to compost? Composting is an excellent gardening practice. However, the materials you choose will affect how effective your compost pile is.