Compost checklist

Most biodegradable materials can be put into the compost heap, but careful screening of scraps will make for better results.The greater the variety of ingredients, the better the compost. For best results, chop up coarse materials.

What to put in

✔ Fruit and vegetable peelings and cores – great for getting compost started

✔ Cooked table scraps

✔ Coffee grounds – supply proteins and oils

✔ Tea-leaves and unbleached tea bags – add welcome nitrogen

✔ Old bread

✔ Eggshells

✔ Shredded newspaper – in small amounts

✔ Wood shavings, sawdust or fire ash

✔ Household dust and hair

✔ Garden waste – leaves, non-woody prunings, grass

What to leave out

✘ Fats and oils

✘ Meat and bones – take too long to break down and can attract pests

✘ Citrus peel – fine in small quantities, but contains a preservative that can inhibit decomposition

✘ Corn cobs – take too long to decompose

✘ Salt

✘ Anything that has been treated with chemicals

✘ Weed seeds

✘ Diseased plant material

✘ Dog or cat faeces

Like this Article?Vote it Up!

3 Comments

Share it

Print it | Email it

Most Popular in Gardening

More Home & Garden
Maintenance & Repairs Gardening Home Renovations Outdoors & Backyards	Tools & Workshop Build It Around the House

3 Comments

Mary (again) on 01 July 2011 ,15:09

See the carpet of golden leaves "Puss" is standing on in the 'Big Picture' A13 back page of the Herald, Friday 1st July 2011. These are Gingko leaves and being told that Gingko is good for the mind think what wonderful compost could be made from these. If you don't use kleensaks to keep them in as I do I know that any plastic bag will do.

robbitti on 25 May 2011 ,21:31

it makes your compost mix less attractive to flies if you wrap in newspaper your vegee peelings etc. this balances the wet and dry components and speeds the breakdown .

mary on 24 May 2011 ,13:54

make the most of the glorious Autumn leaves by raking them up for your compost or what I do, put some into black kleensaks THE THERAPY is great. The fresh crisp air arround you and a bird singing, usually in our area, a lone Thrush up in the bare branches trilling out a sweet song or a Tui with his chortles and bell like sounds. Don't complain about the fallen leaves just be thankful you have a reason to be outside. AND next year the bag of leaves will have broken down into a beautiful rich dark mixture for your garden.