what to feed a compost bin

Here are some ideas for greens to add to your compost bin:

• Fruit and vegetable peels
• Citrus rinds
• Melon rinds
• Coffee grounds
• Tea leaves and paper tea bags
• Old vegetables that aren't suitable for eating anymore
• Houseplant trimmings
• Weeds that haven't gone to seed
• Grass clippings
• Fresh leaves
• Deadheads from flowers
• Dead plants (as long as they aren't diseased)
• Seaweed
• Cooked plain rice
• Cooked plain pasta
• Stale bread
• Corn husks
• Corn cobs
• Broccoli stalks
• Eggshells​

Full Answer

What should be put in a compost bin?

What to put in compost bin to start – a shovel load of dirt. The best material that you can put in a compost bin to start the process off is garden soil. This will contain all the microbes that compost needs to start and continue the rotting process. Starting from the soil-in-the-compost-bin point, you can continue to put in any food-waste.

Why is it good to use a compost bin?

Not only does compost contain no petroleum-based compounds, like most commercial fertilizers do, but it can also suppress plant diseases and pests. Gardens that are composted produce higher yields of healthier fruits, yields of healthier fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

What are the best things to put into compost?

What Can I Put In My Compost Bin: The Kitchen

• Fruits and Vegetables: Rotten or Scraps
• Napkins (unbleached and/or recyclable)
• Pizza crusts (but not the greasy cardboard pizza box)
• Pulp leftover from juicing
• Spoiled soy/rice/almond/coconut milk
• Old spices – because they are made from natural products like seeds and plants, they will biodegrade over time.
• Popcorn kernels
• Old or burnt oatmeal

More items...

How to make a compost bin out of garbage can?

Instructions

• Select a Trash Can. Choose a 32-gallon or larger plastic or metal trash can with a tight-fitting lid. ...
• Drill the Holes. Using a drill with a 2- or 3-inch hole saw, drill holes all the way around the trash can (lid, bottom, and sides) roughly 6 to 12 ...
• Attach the Screening. ...
• Position Your Trash Can Composter. ...
• Add Compostable Material. ...

What can I fill my compost bin with?

Put the right stuff in Good things to compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. These are fast to break down and provide important nitrogen as well as moisture. It's also good to include things such as cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves.

What is the best food for compost?

The 9 best foods for compostFruits. Most fruits—from apples and bananas to pears, grapes, and berries—provide compost with plenty of nutrients that will enrich your soil. ... Vegetables. Scraps from vegetables are some of the best foods for compost. ... Nuts and Grains. ... Leftovers. ... Coffee. ... Tea. ... Eggshells. ... Plant leaves.

What are the 4 important ingredients to have a successful compost?

There are four basic ingredients in the compost pile, ni- trogen, carbon, water, and air. grounds and filters, and non meat eating animal manure. Most any organic material that has moisture or 'life' still in it is considered a green material.

Should I put soil in my compost bin?

Add soil to a decomposing compost pile to help the pile break down faster. Rather than waiting for the microbes to grow and develop slowly, the addition of soil provides a boost of microbes to speed up the process. Adding soil also helps keep insects in control.

Is cooked rice OK for compost?

Cooked or uncooked rice – Here is another one that most folks would probably think is just fine to add into their compost, but it is best to avoid both cooked and uncooked rice. Uncooked rice is going to attract rodents to your yard, while cooked rice can lead to the growth of unwanted bacteria.

Should you keep adding to compost?

If you are using a batch method, you need to stop adding new material until a compost pile has finished heating up and cooling down. However, you can keep adding to compost over time if its cold or add-as-you-go compost pile which takes 1 to 2 years to decompose.

Can egg shells be composted?

Overcoming the concern about salmonella bacteria from the eggs in your compost is less challenging when armed with knowledge. Let's just start out by saying: putting egg shells in your compost is okay; they are a rich source of calcium and other essential nutrients that plants need.

What should not go in compost?

Dairy products such as cheese, butter, milk, sour cream, and yogurt, as well as fats and oils, should be avoided for the same reason; they attract unwanted visitors. Processed foods that contain a lot of dairy or fat should also be left out.

What makes a good compost starter?

A good compost starter contains ingredients rich in nitrogen, carbon, and microorganisms. Commercial compost starters are available in liquid and dried form, but gardeners can easily create their own “activator” by maintaining a minimum 4:1 ratio of browns (carbons) to greens (nitrogen).

Should a compost bin be in the sun or shade?

You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster. This also means that your pile will dry out faster, especially in warm southern climates.

What are the 3 main compost ingredients?

Browns - This includes materials such as dead leaves, branches, and twigs. Greens - This includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds. Water - Having the right amount of water, greens, and browns is important for compost development.

Should you water your compost?

As a general rule, a compost pile should be watered every three to seven days. However, the amount of water needed and the actual frequency will depend on various factors, such as the amount of compost used and its location. It's also important to properly drain your compost to ensure it's not over or under watered.

What should not go in compost?

Dairy products such as cheese, butter, milk, sour cream, and yogurt, as well as fats and oils, should be avoided for the same reason; they attract unwanted visitors. Processed foods that contain a lot of dairy or fat should also be left out.

What vegetables should you not compost?

3. Citrus Peels and Onions. While fruit and vegetables scraps from the kitchen are fundamental ingredients in a home compost pile, there are two iffy exceptions: citrus peel and onions.

Can I put eggs in compost?

Can You Put Whole Eggs in The Compost? Certainly, you can compost eggs, although you have to use the correct methods. All organic matter, including eggs, eventually decomposes. Compost takes all those unwanted scraps of organic waste matter and makes them useful.

Can you compost banana peels?

So, You Can Use Banana Peels in a Compost Pile Banana peels represent a widely overlooked source of organic material that can be used to turn leftover food scraps into nutrient-rich compost for your containers or your garden plants.

What are some foods that biodegrade over time?

Old spices – because they are made from natural products like seeds and plants, they will biodegrade over time. Popcorn kernels. Old or burnt oatmeal. Stale tortilla chips or potato chips (baked decomposes faster than deep-fried) Freezer burnt fruit and vegetables that you don’t want to eat anymore.

Can you compost more than you think?

You can compost more than you think. It’s amazing once you start digging into “what can I put in my compost bin”. You discover that there are SO many items that will decompose nicely… it’s not just fruit and vegetable scraps, although they are the most well known. Composting IS a great way to use up food waste, ...

How To Use A Compost Bin Properly

To use a compost bin effectively, maintain a balance of organic wastes, water, and air. You can achieve this by following these steps: build a pile of alternate layers of carbon sources (like dried leaves) and nitrogen-rich matter (like fruit peels), keep the pile damp, and turn the pile regularly.

How Does A Compost Bin Work?

A compost bin works by creating the ideal environment for decomposition. Organic waste materials slowly turn to compost if they include a balance of green and brown materials, water, and oxygen. Compost bins are designed to provide these conditions while containing everything in a clean and compact design.

What's The Best Way To Use A Compost Bin?

All organic materials break down eventually. You can, however, create spot-on conditions for a speedier waste-to-compost transformation.

How Do You Start A Compost Bin?

An insider tip is to start your compost bin by putting down a layer of branches, sticks, and corn cobs a few inches high. This nifty trick keeps air flowing below the composting matter.

What Do You Put At The Bottom Of A Compost Bin?

The best base for a compost bin is no base. Containers without bases give entry to microorganisms and creepy crawlies from the ground below. They also allow excess water to drain into the soil. Some gardeners line the bottom of an open bin with chicken wire to keep rodents out.

How Do You Activate A Compost Bin?

An active compost bin is simply one with microorganisms producing enough heat to properly break down the organic matter – that's about 90 to 140 degrees F.

Conclusion

Once you get the basics right (building a pile of browns and greens and keeping it moist and aerated) and your composting confidence has grown, you can experiment to find your own tricks for speeding up the decomposition process!

What can't be added to compost bin?

Brown kitchen materials that CANNOT be added to the compost bin include: Colored paper. Glossy paper or inked paper (such as magazines) Non-biodegradable coffee and tea bags. Labels on fruits and vegetables. Nylon materials.

What are the two types of materials that can be added to a compost bin?

There are two major classes of materials that can be added to the compost bin: Green (wet materials) Brown (dry materials) Green materials are the fully organic materials that contain enormous amounts of nitrogen, which speeds up the decomposition process.

What are the things that decompose in a compost bin?

Bones. Leftover meals. Onion and citrus peels. These materials (excluding the onion and citrus peels) decompose far too quickly and would release an excess of gaseous compounds that would cause your compost bin to overheat, turning it into a messy, stinky mush. The decomposition process would basically be messed up.

What is the difference between brown and green compost?

Getting the right balance of green and brown materials is important for the proper decomposition of any compost mixture. Brown materials usually add to the bulk of the compost while the green materials speed up the overall decomposition of the materials in the mix.

What to do if you have no compost?

If you have no use for the compost, it’s actually a good market. You can sell it to your neighbors or friends. Compost bins are structures or containers used to make compost and house them until they are fully decomposed and ready for the garden.

How to break down small sized materials?

Micro-organisms break down small-sized materials faster. Chop up all your waste materials, especially the brown or dry ones. Crush piths and seeds before composting them. Tear papers into tiny shreds and smash the nut shells to crumbles. You’ll have your compost ready in a shorter amount of time.

Why do people move away from compost?

People have had to move away from their homes due to the awful smell emanating from badly prepared compost. They’ll also attract pests, rodents, and critters to your compost bin. If you live in a bear/coyote prone area, get ready for some esteemed visitors too. Rats would become an epidemic in your home.

What to put in compost?

"Browns" are the carbon-rich materials that add aeration to the pile and structure to your compost. They break down more slowly, so it's a good idea to chop them up fairly small. Here are some browns to put in your compost: 1 Shredded newspaper 2 Shredded office or school papers 3 Shredded, non-glossy junk mail 4 Torn up plain corrugated cardboard boxes (not with glossy coatings) 5 Straw 6 Bedding from hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits 7 Fall leaves 8 Chopped up twigs and small branches 9 Pinecones 10 Nutshells (avoid walnut shells as they can inhibit plant growth) 11 Excelsior 12 Raffia 13 Used napkins 14 Toilet paper, paper towel, or wrapping paper tubes 15 Fallen bird's nests 16 Pine needles or straw 17 Used paper coffee filters 18 Pressed paper egg cartons, torn into small pieces 19 Sawdust (only from untreated wood) 20 Brown paper shopping bags, shredded or torn 21 Brown paper lunch bags, shredded or torn 22 Leftover peat or coir from seed starting 23 Coir liners for hanging baskets 24 Wood chips 25 Bedding from chickens

What to do if your compost bin gets wet?

If your bin gets wet and smelly, add more browns and cut back on the greens for a while, then give it a turn.

Can you compost meat in a Bokashi compost bin?

You'll notice some items missing from this list, such as meat, dairy, and fats. While you can technically compost all of these (especially if you have a Bokashi compost bin), we've left them off because extra care must be taken to compost these items safely. The items here are safe for you and for your garden.

How to fill a compost bin with brown?

How to Fill Your Compost Bin. My preferred ratio of brown to greens is 1:1. Basically, just add equal amounts of both your brown material and green material. To make it easier to visualize, you can add your organic material in layers. Start with a layer of browns , then add an equal layer of greens.

How to keep compost from smelling?

Air can be added through holes in the sides of your composter, or by turning the pile. I feel that turning the pile makes the biggest impact in getting that air where it is needed throughout the pile. Aeration can also help keep your pile from developing an odor.

What is compost tumbler?

That’s it! This is our compost tumbler. It is a fantastic option for urban gardeners and for learning how to compost.

How to get rid of egg shells in compost?

First, wash out the shells after cracking. This eliminates some of the chance that your compost will smell like rotten eggs. Second, you can opt to leave your eggshells out of the compost and save them to dry and grind as a garden amendment. Chicken/quail manure *see section below for safety guidelines.

What does finished compost look like?

Finished compost will look like a rich amendment. It will be dark and crumbly, and none of the components should be recognizable (meaning you shouldn’t be able to identify any of the items you added). FEEL. It should feel like moist soil and not have large pieces leftover.

What is the best tool to use to turn a compost pile?

1) Garden Fork – I love this tool for turning a compost pile. In fact, I actually use a garden fork for a lot of tasks just in the yard. Forks are great for loosening up soil when pulling onions, garlic, or leeks.

Why is moisture important in compost?

Moisture is necessary for decomposition to happen . Some areas of the country get enough rain to keep compost moist without needing a cover, but for us, covering a compost pile actually serves two purposes:

What to feed compost worms?

The "Go" List of items you should feed compost worms includes most raw/uncooked fruits and vegetables as well as the following items: 1 Worms have a sweet tooth so most fruits are a great idea (just not citrus). Compost worms love bananas and banana peels, grapes, melon, pears, berries, peaches, apples, and avocado (but not the pit or rinds) 2 Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine) 3 Pumpkin and squash 4 Pulp from juicers (avoid citrus) 5 Crushed egg shells 6 Coffee and tea grounds in small quantities (too many can lead to an acidic bed which can harm the worms) 7 Shredded cardboard, egg cartons, and paper towels 8 Most leaves (as long as they haven't been treated with pesticides or herbicides)

What do compost worms eat?

Compost worms love bananas and banana peels, grapes, melon, pears, berries, peaches, apples, and avocado (but not the pit or rinds) Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine) Pumpkin and squash. Pulp from juicers (avoid citrus) Crushed egg shells. Coffee and tea grounds in small quantities (too many can lead to an acidic bed which can harm the worms) ...

How to know if compost worms are processed?

You'll know the compost worms have fully processed the prior feeding when 1) the food is no longer visible on the surface of the worm bin and 2) the worms are not grouped together in a ball where you fed them. Rule #4: Don't bury the food!

How to kill worms?

This is especially true with feeding your worms. Over-feeding, along with temperature, is one of the easiest ways to quickly kill your worm population. Think of feeding your worms like drinking a bottle of wine - you don't usually drink the entire bottle in 1 glass or gulp. You enjoy it in moderation over several glasses or days.

What foods are good for worms?

Meat or other animal products. Cooked foods (due to oil and salt content) Citrus fruits. "Spicy" foods like peppers, onions, garlic, and ginger. Tomatoes or tomato sauce (it's too acidic for worms) Foods cooked with oils. Foods high in salt content.

Do worms eat food?

Worms actually eat microorganisms that are feeding on the food waste, so they like soft food or food that has been cut into small pieces (this helps accelerate the decomposition process and increases the number of microorganisms for worms to eat).

Can you sprinkle worms over food?

It is ok to sprinkle a little of their original bedding (which should already be in the bin) over the food, but the food should never be buried and should be visible to your eye. Rule #5: See rule #1! Rule #6: After the first feeding, feed the worms 1/3 to 1/2 of their weight. So if you purchased 2 pounds of worms, ...

What is worm compost?

Worm composting, also called vermicomposting, is a great way to use kitchen scraps to create a nutrient-rich compost to feed your garden and keep it producing year-round. In a large container, simply shred some newspaper and leaves from your yard to create a nice loose base, then add in red wiggler worms, officially known as Eisenia fetida, ...

What do worms eat?

Do feed your worms organic fruit and vegetable waste, including the rinds, cores, and peelings of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Feed them crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, and coffee filters (as long as the filters are unbleached), teabags, and aged manure from vegetable-eating animals, such as rabbits, horses, and cows.

Can you put old kitchen scraps in the compost bin?

A word of caution, however— don’t just throw any old kitchen scraps into the compost bin and hope for the best. Keep reading, and let’s dive into what you don’t want to feed them. Do not feed your worms fatty or processed foods, such as meat or dairy products. These types of kitchen scraps will cause strong odors when they decompose ...

Where do worms get their nutrition?

In fact, your worms’ main source of nutrition comes from the microorganisms that grow in abundance on organic fruit and vegetable waste. That’s why instead of devouring the scraps that you throw in to the soil immediately, your worms will wait around until microbes begin to flourish on the surface of the food scraps.

Can you put salt in a compost bin?

Avoid adding salt, or any salty foods, to the compost bin. Salt is really bad for worms and can kill them if it’s present in large amounts in the compost container. Onions are another kitchen scrap that you may want to consider just throwing away instead of adding to the compost bin to be consumed.

Can food scraps be a problem in compost?

Fatty or processed food scraps will also disturb the delicate ecosystem that you’ve worked so hard to create in your composting bin, attracting fruit flies, house flies, and other pests as well as disrupting the moisture level you’ve worked to calibrate in your composting container.

Can you put olive oil in compost?

However, green onions in small amounts should pose no major problem. Avoid adding oils, such as olive oil, sesame oil, or butter into your compost. Vegetable oil is okay in small amounts, but it’s best to just avoid adding oils altogether, as oils slow down or even stop the composting process completely.

What do composting worms eat?

This includes grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans. Plant matter is filled with nutrients and vitamins that worms need.

How do worms digest food?

Worms do not have teeth. Their little mouths take in the food. Therefore, they can digest food faster if it is: 1 Soft 2 Cut into small pieces, with a knife or food processor 3 Somewhat moist 4 Buried in the bin – just below the surface for Red composting worms

What to do with leftovers from a plate?

When scraping leftovers from plates, discard meat, dairy products , and bones. Foods drenched in oils, oily sauces, and vinegar dressings should be rinsed or discarded. Citrus and pineapple can go in the trash. Small amounts of tomato are fine. The rest can go in the compost collection pail and later, in the worm bin.

What happens if a worm bin is too acidic?

If the bin becomes too acidic, there will be a bad odor, and the worms’ healthy could be compromised. Do not add citrus peels, pulp, or juice (orange, lemon, lime). Also, pineapple is too high in acid. Large amounts of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato juice are not good. Very small quantities of these foods will not make a difference.

Can you put toxic items in a worm bin?

Discard the water. Do not put toxic items in the worm bin. Worms are living creatures and they could die. Sawdust from pressure-treated wood is toxic. So are plants heavily treated with pesticides and herbicides. Carbon paper and carbonless paper are off the menu. So is office paper, because it is bleached white.

Can you put animal products in worm bins?

How Animal Products and Greasy Foods Ruin the Composter. You should never add meat, animal products, dairy products, or greasy, oily foods to the worm bin. The oils, meat, and milk become rancid as they decompose. Rotting oils cause a powerful and unpleasant odor.

Can grass clippings kill worms?

Additionally, green grass clippings generate too much heat as they break down. These high temperatures can kill your worms. Fertilizers and other chemical compounds might be suitable for soil. However, they are too strong to add to a worm bin. They contain chemical salts that cause harm to the worms.