Diseased debris that is not fully composted can spread funguses. Fungus-susceptible tomato, potato, pepper, eggplant greens and other plants in the nightshade family, including tobacco, Jerusalem cherry, and annual flowers nierembergia and petunia, should be discarded.
HIGHLY ACIDIC FOODS
Citrus fruit, tomato products and pickled food products can do harm to your compost. High acidity can actually kill the good bacteria that helps break down the material in your compost pile.
Despite serious safety concerns, black nightshade has been used for stomach irritation, cramps, spasms, pain, and nervousness. Some people apply black nightshade directly to the skin for a skin condition called psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and deep skin infections (abscesses).
DON'T add meat scraps, bones, grease, whole eggs, or dairy products to the compost pile because they decompose slowly, cause odors, and can attract rodents. DON'T add pet feces or spent cat liter to the compost pile. DON'T add diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed.
Don't put diseased plants, pet droppings (apart from chook manure), cooking fat, glossy paper, weeds with seeds, treated timber and large branches in your compost bin. Some gardeners say you should avoid adding meat and bones unless you have a larger compost system.
Some materials compost more easily than others. Materials such as wood and leaves are high in lignin, which is difficult to compost, especially when this material is large in size. Other materials, such as grass clippings and shredded paper, compost a lot faster.
Adding too much fresh material, instead of a balanced mix of fresh and dry materials, is the usual culprit. Fresh materials such as vegetable peelings and grass clippings have a high water content, which makes them heavy.
Avoid citrus fruits, odorous foods like onions and garlic, meat, dairy products, greasy foods, bones, and pet waste. Chop up scraps into small pieces before adding them to the bin to allow for faster decomposition.
Nightshade is not a pleasant plant to have around and is poisonous to small children and pets (like dogs and cats), which may be attracted to nightshade berries. You definitely want to plan on getting rid of nightshade, especially the creeping type, which can quickly take over.
Small infestations of bitter nightshade can be controlled through digging and pulling. This is most effective in loose soils or after rain. Care should be taken to remove as much of the root system as possible. If the plants are growing into adjacent vegetation, the vines can be cut and left, while the root is dug out.
Ask a Master Gardener: Nightshade will not 'poison' garden soil - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota.
You can add moldy food (vegetables and fruits only) to a backyard composting bin anytime. Mold cells are just one of the many different types of microorganisms that take care of decomposition and are fine in a backyard bin. If you're using a worm bin, you have to be a bit more careful.
Banana peels are a suitable compost material and provide nutrient-rich additives such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium to your garden soil. These, in turn, help to achieve the healthy growth of fruiting plants. They also decompose more quickly than other compost materials.
Yes. As far as composting goes, weeds aren't any more difficult to compost than other plants so they shouldn't be wasted. If you are following general weed advice and removing them whilst they are young, the weeds will breakdown and make excellent compost quickly.
Many people do not compost because they aren't sure what can and can't be composted, so below we've set the record straight with an easy visual you can print out and keep on your fridge as a reminder as well as a detailed list based off the information provided Small Footprint Family.
Composting is absolutely worth it for anyone that wants to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Taking the time to compost reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and leaves you with a natural fertilizer that can nourish your plants. You can also choose a composting method that's suited to your preferences.
Home composting is the most environmentally-friendly way of dealing with kitchen and garden waste, plus it produces compost that can be used as an excellent soil improver.
However, most home composting systems have a limitation: you can't put cooked food waste, dairy products, meat and fish into them as they will putrify, producing bad odors and attracting rats and flies.
Yes. Rice is compostable but only under certain conditions. Both cooked and uncooked rice will break down if they are added to compost piles in small increments, over time. If too much rice is added to an entire pile at once, it will attract rodents, pests, and harmful bacteria.
You can take your food scraps and put them to use in your garden without composting. That's right – you can take the cuttings, peels and roots left behind on your cutting board and deposit them directly into the soil of your garden.
To promote decomposition, mix leaves with grass clippings or other materials high in nitrogen. If possible, shred the leaves prior to composting. The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose.
Worms are helpful for compost and soil, so are maggots in compost ok, too? As it turns out, they're better than “ok”—they're actually pretty great for compost. If you can stand their appearance, sound, and smell, you might want to consider welcoming maggots into your compost pile, bin, or heap.
EUGENE – Most people shudder when they see maggots in their bin composter or compost pile. Don't be grossed out – they won't hurt you. In fact, these larvae play a role in breaking down and recycling nutrients back into the soil.