5 items I put in my compost that might surprise you!

Hello friends. When I first started gardening, I spent a lot of time watching composting for beginners videos. It can be hard to work out the best compost materials and how to make it easy and not time-consuming. I now put most things in there, but it did take me a while to realise that not just food waste from my household can go into the compost. Enjoy!
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[@annmc3878]

We cut up old clothes or torn sheets as long as they are 100% cotton. We cut off anything that is a tag or elastic. Cut them up into about 2 inch squares. Surprising how fast they disappear.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

I had wondered about this actually! I'll have to check the rag bag..

[@d4rk4ngel132]

David the Good channel, compost everything especially of the pile is hot enough.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

Very true!

[@louise2209]

I put in toilet roll centres in also, plus paper shreddings, unless I know some plastic film got in there. I also have a whole load of plant matter that I allowed to dry out (to kill the roots) that I plan to add, just not done yet. However, I don’t generally add food waste unless it’s peelings or uncooked egg shells. Snails and slugs are enough of a pest, I don’t need to attract more!

[@user-km4jo2gw7j]

I have loads of brown, need more green. Nice video.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

Thank you!

[@user-km4jo2gw7j]

​@@jacqsbackyard1562do you put onions in?

[@TW-gb6mh]

Just this past year I started adding all the things you mentioned (except for the playdough...), and for the exact same reason - I do not have enough browns. I also throw in used paper towels IF they don't have grease on them. I just have a wire bin, and never turn it, because I am physically unable to. Everything composts anyway. In one of my raised beds, I did not have anything to use as a mulch, so I used shredded paper. It worked very well, and clumped together enough that I did not have to worry about it blowing away.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

Paper as mulch - that is a good idea!! Love it. ❤️

[@AK-ru3sg]

I've been putting pretty much everything in apart from what squirts out of my dog and cat's gas pipes but meat goes in and gets covered with greens or more cardboard. It works absolutely fine. As you say, dairy, etc. Play dough sounds organic so why not. And of course, the old (in my case) human liquid activator as long as you're healthy. Adds so much nitrogen. Ash, weeds, seaweed, meat carcasses (something will eat the marrowbone). Everything that rots.

[@MissMolly3377]

Dog 💩 and 💦 is extremely toxic. I know you said you don’t put it 8n, but for anyone thinking about it…it is very toxic.

[@eigleenalegri2664]

Bleached white paper seems to compost quickly for me.

[@beavischrist5]

Ad in seaweed, gras, rockdust, worms.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

I have heard that seaweed is great in the compost!

[@Wings91]

How long should an unturned compost pile (in a black compost dalek bin) take to be good to go? And when do you stop adding??? I've been adding to this pile for so long! Nice video❤

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

In my limited experience (not an expert) daleks need turning as the material on the sides really dries out and therefore doesn't break down very quickly. I have found that having 2 daleks is ideal because you have to stop adding in order to let all of the material break down to a point it can be put on the garden. It depends on your climate as to how long it needs to be left - in my warm climate, if I am diligent in not letting it dry out, it can take as little as 4 months. It can take longer than that if you are in a cold climate, I believe.

[@MissMolly3377]

Put some leaves in the toilet paper rolls, the worms love to get inside of them.

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

That's an excellent idea. Thank you!

[@merk9569]

I am new to composting so have lots of questions! I just bought six pallet boxes with open, slatted sides and bottoms which I will be using to hold leaf litter and grass clippings. (From neighbors; mine are mulched and left in place. 😊). I want to reduce my waste as much as possible. What is the problem with using glossy paper which is colored? I am in the US and get catalogs and company mailers from businesses which I don’t do business with. I don’t support any printed media, including newspapers and magazines, but I get unwanted glossy, colored mail daily! We are not allowed to burn it but I have wondered if I burn it in my evening fire (which is permitted) if the ashes could go into my compost. I make bone broth for my dogs; is there anything I can do with the leftover bones? Lastly, what is the best way to compost cardboard? Can dog fur be composted? I put it out for the birds and squirrels but no one wants it!

[@jacqsbackyard1562]

I actually had to look this up for you - I had assumed it did not break down as well - but apparently, the glossy paper may contain toxic heavy metals. Clearly, it's not something we want in the compost. I'm unsure if burning it would negate the toxicity. As fas bones - I don't purely from a rodent standpoint, and the bone itself would take a long time to break down. Cardboard (non glossy) is definitely compostable, just rip it up into smaller bits. Hair is definitely compostable. 😁

[@MissMolly3377]

Don’t use anything from a dog, dog waste (💩 and 💦) is toxic, it is likened to bio hazardous materials. As far as leaving its hair out for the other animals, who will not touch it, that should tell you all you need to know, don’t subject the worms and other helpful insects, who break down the soil, to it. Dogs are full of parasites and bacteria. I wouldn’t let a dog near anything I was going to eat or growing to eat. 🤮 If anything, dogs harm our environment, they don’t add anything to it, and they harm other animals and their habitats.