Ashes |
Maybe |
From untreated wood or paper, yes, in small amounts; but not from barbecues, plywood, coloured or glossy paper
|
Banana Skins |
Yes |
Decompose rapidly; can help to activate a slow compost; loaded with plant nutrients
|
Cardboard |
Yes |
Shred, soak, and mix with "greens"; but try first to reuse or recycle it
|
Citrus Fruits |
Yes |
Shred rinds; bury in compost to discourage fruit flies
|
Coffee Grounds |
Yes |
Good earthworm food; use directly on many plants; compost shredded filters, too
|
Corn Cobs |
Yes |
Shred; adds both fibre and nutrients to compost; good mulch; slow to break down
|
Dairy Products |
No |
Fats seal off air from compost; odours attract pests
|
Diseased Plants |
No |
Compost heat may not destroy disease; destroy or discard to avoid spreading
|
Dishwater |
Maybe |
If water doesn't contain grease or chemical cleansers, use it to wet pile
|
Dust and Lint |
Maybe |
Use vacuum cleaner debris and lint from clothes dryer, if mostly natural fibres
|
Eggshells |
Yes |
Dry and crush first; good earthworm food; slow to break down; help neutralize acidity; as mulch, may discourage slugs
|
Evergreen Needles |
Maybe |
Highly acidic; better yet, use as mulch
|
Fabrics |
Maybe |
Small scraps of wool, cotton, felt and silk; not synthetic fibres or blends
|
Feathers |
Yes |
Keep somewhat wetter than usual; extremely high in nitrogen
|
Fish |
Maybe |
Odours and pests are problems with fresh or smoked fish, but dried fishmeal is fine
|
Grass Clippings |
Yes |
Available and valuable; mix well to avoid clumps; leave some clippings to feed lawn
|
Hair |
Yes |
Both human and pet hair; keep quite damp; avoid using if coloured with chemicals
|
Hay and Straw |
Yes |
Very good fibre, nutrients usually low
|
Leaves |
Yes |
Shred and soak; add both nutrients and fibre; tend to be slightly acidic
|
Manure |
Yes |
Cow, horse, pig, rabbit, poultry, the fresher the better, helps any compost
|
Meat and Bones |
No |
Odours and pests are problems; but dried, ground bonemeal is fine source of nitrogen
|
Soil |
Yes |
Adds decomposer soil organisms; scatter lightly through pile to avoid compacting
|
Nutshells |
Maybe |
Crush delicate shells like peanuts; heavier shells are better used as decorative mulch
|
Paper |
Maybe |
Shred; not glossy/coloured which contain chemicals; better to recycle if possible
|
Pet Wastes |
No |
Risk of pathogens and parasites; use only barnyard manure (horse, cow, sheep, etc.)
|
Rhubarb |
Maybe |
Raw leaves poisonous to humans; composted leaves may harm insects and other plants; stems are fine; roots may continue to grow
|
Sawdust |
Maybe |
Hardwood sawdust, yes, in very small quantities; softwoods may inhibit composting; plywood may contain chemicals
|
Seafood Shells |
Yes |
Crush or grind very finely; break down very slowly; reduce acidity; good mulch
|
Seaweed |
Yes |
Rinse off salt so it won’t contaminate soil; great fertilizer
|
Sod |
Yes |
Knock off excess soil; pile upside down; cover to prevent rooting; compost separately to avoid compaction
|
Soup |
Maybe |
Vegetable, yes; do not use soups with cream or meat-based broths to avoid odours and pests; read labels on canned soups.
|
Tea Leaves |
Yes |
High in nitrogen; can be applied directly to some plants; compost tea bags too
|
Toadstools |
Yes |
Decompose quickly; excellent source of many minerals
|
Weeds |
Yes |
Discard mature seeds, persistent roots, weeds treated with herbicides/pesticides
|
Wood Chips |
Yes |
Shred if possible and soak; use big pieces as mulch first, compost when weathered |