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.
Fruit and Vegetable Scraps
It's recommended to cut scraps and leftovers down to around two-inch chunks or less so that they decompose more quickly. Some fruits and vegetables that you should compost with caution are those with high acidities, such as citrus fruits, pickles, and tomatoes.
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.
Most fruits—from apples and bananas to pears, grapes, and berries—provide compost with plenty of nutrients that will enrich your soil. Typically most varieties are safe to add, depending on the type of composting system you have at home, though there are some fruits that are better for composting than others.
Every single part of an onion is 100% compostable!
You may have heard otherwise, and yes, there are a few things to look out for if you want to add them to a worm bin, but no worries, onions can make their way to your compost bin, just like your other kitchen scraps!
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.
Answer: 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.
Veggies and fruits are the quintessential compostable foods. You can compost them in any form: scraps and peels, raw or cooked, and even when rotten. Before you toss, make sure you're not wasting these completely edible food scraps.
Egg shells are an excellent addition to a compost pile, as they provide calcium and other key nutrients. Whole eggs, egg whites, and egg yolks do not belong in the compost pile, though.
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.
One rule of thumb: the more green material (cut grass, weeds, leaves) you put in, the less water you'll need to add. In fact, if you need to add dry ingredients such as straw or hay, soak the material first in water so it won't dry out your compost pile. In general your compost should be moist, but not sopping wet.
Just as kiwi provides you with almost all the nutrients you need to stay healthy, it can supply them to plants. So, whether you bought a bowl of kiwis and left one half-eaten or left of a couple of kiwis sitting out for too long, causing them to spoil, you can include those fruits in your compost waste.
You can compost every part of a pineapple. However, the core is fibrous and tough, so cut it into small pieces before adding it to your compost pile. Cutting the pineapple core increases its surface area and makes it decompose faster.
You can use the peels, rinds, and pulp in your compost pile, which is a bonus for those who like using their juicer frequently or enjoy having fresh fruit every day. Citrus fruits can be added to a hot or cold compost and will produce similar benefits to the compost.
Orange peels are safe to add to your compost pile. Over time, as the citrus peels decompose, they add nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus to your compost. Those are three of the most essential nutrients needed by plants.
Yes, you can compost apples.
Peelings and cores compost down very quickly – when the flesh is exposed to air, it browns and decomposes quickly. Whole apples take longer though because of the protective peel so if you want them to rot down quicker, cut them into chunks before throwing them in the compost.
Grass clippings should not be the only compost material. As with mulches, a thick layer of grass clippings in a compost pile will lead to bad odors from anaerobic decomposition.
Food scraps can always be composted even when they're moldy or rotten.
Bread can be composted!
The concern is that they may attract rodents and other pests. However, bread has been cold composted without problems when buried the in the middle of the bin, or heap, and covered with a layer of “Browns” e.g., dry leaves, sawdust, shredded paper and then with a layer of soil or manure.
Composting Don'ts
Don't add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract animals. Don't use diseased plants or plants that are toxic to other plants.
Secondly, do not add thorny rose stems, bulbs, any flowers that have been treated with toxic herbicides and certain poisonous plants to your compost.
Can I place used paper towels, napkins, and tissue in my compost cart? Yes, absolutely. These items can be composted even if they are wet or stained with food, vegetable oil, or grease. Please do not place paper towels, napkins, or tissue into the recycling!