I receive a lot of questions regarding composting; one common question is “What can I compost?” Earlier this summer we built a compost bin out of pallets. It’s been wonderful to have such a large 3-bin composter. For our bin we’ve been layering weeds from the garden, bedding from our chickens and adding manure as we layer.
Most people realize that you can compost these things as well as fruit and vegetable peels, leaves and grass clippings.
Did you know that you could also compost coffee grinds and your used tea bags? If you have a dog or cat at home that you groom you can also compost their fur! We even compost the hair that collects when our son gets a haircut at home!
Here are some things you can compost from your home:
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Tea bags
- Used paper napkins
- Pizza boxes, torn into small pieces
- Paper bags, ripped
- Stale bread
- Paper towel rolls
- Nut shells
- Wine corks (real cork)
- Paper egg cartons
- Toothpicks
Toothpicks - Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard, not plastic
- Dryer lint
Dryer lint - Old wool clothing, cut into small pieces
- Envelopes
- Contents of your vacuum cleaner
- Newspapers, shredded
Newspapers, just need to shred them! - Ashes from your fireplace or outdoor fire pit
- Natural holiday wreaths
- Evergreen garlands
These are just a few ideas to get you started. I do not add cooked food or meat to my compost pile. I have read you can add such things as stale cereal, stale pretzels, plain cooked pasta and rice. However we have bears that like to get into the compost so I don’t add such things! Avoid adding cat or dog droppings as these may contain disease organisms. Don’t add meat, fat, grease, oils or bones as they do not break down and can attract pests.
Composting is a great way to enrich your soil and reduce your trash.
Linked to: AnOregonGarden, MsGreenthumbJean, Sidewalkshoes, ASouthernDaydreamer, TootsieTime, LittleHouseInTheSuburbs
Nancy on the Home Front 