composting??

[mullein3]

i have ordered two compost bins from my council today they are selling them cheap so i thought i may as well get some benefit from my council tax!!! can you compost banana skins?? anyone with any tips gratefully recieved....

[Lonnie]

I can tell you what I compost in the council bins, but first, do not compost Tomatoes or Potatoes and their plants, but other than that, virtually all vegetable and fruit waste, also your grass cuttings,and I also put in the bones from Chickens, they are soft, and compost down in no time, and because these bins generate heat, I also put in the weeds from the borders. If andyjevs or logman see your post, they are more experienced than me, so maybe you'll get some better advice.

[clairelb]

You can compost banana skins - they're full of potassium which is apparently great for roses. In fact, I tend to just put the skins around the base of the rose rather than putting it in the compost. General no-no's for composting are citrus fruit (although my hubby puts this in and can't see what difference it makes) and meat (for risk of encouraging vermin). Not sure about cooked veg either. Remember to add 'dry' matter - ie shredded newspaper etc as this helps balance out the moisture in the composter.

[clairelb]

Forgot to add... If your roses/plants have any disease, don't add anything from them to the compost.

[semolina]

Put the bins on earth (not paving slabs) as this encourages worms/insects which help the decomposition. Better if they are in a sunny spot, too.

As above, add lots of shredded newspaper, about one whole newspaper per load of mowings or household debris. Otherwise the heap is too Nitrogen-rich.

Happy composting, Simone

[Goofy]

I compost everything unless it's been cooked because of the vermin. No problems with dry matter as the hemcore from the hen house looks after that!

[logman]

I think the good advice above, seems to have it well covered !!

I can think of one other good use for banana skins, apart from adding them to the compost bin and that is, give your ferns a treat, if you have any, rain water and banana skins are like an all round tonic to them.

I'm sure cooked veg is okay too and should rot down even quiker.

Allow perenial weeds to dry out in the sun and wind before adding, as couch grass and bell bine ect can still grow. Good Luck..

[ursula62]

Don't put rhubarb leaves on the compost as they are toxic to other plants.

[nickmo]

And don't forget:

International Compost Awareness Week 2006, 7th - 13th May 2006.

Read up on it at : http://www.compost.org.uk/ for all your composting needs.......and see the HDRA site for lots of suggestions: http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/gh_comp.php

[mullein3]

thanks for the answers i cant wait for my bins to get delivered...its a shame you cant compost husbands!! i have allready started to save things ..ready to put in the compost will be usefull to me as i have a lot of plants..

[logman]

Hi mullein, when my bin arrived, I found a leaflet inside with a list of do's and dont's but I dont think husbands was on it, cooked or otherwise!.