What You Can Compost List

Things You Can Put In a Compost

Keep your food scraps and yard wastes to create nutrient-rich soil for your garden by creating a compost. Composted materials help make your soil better for growing food.

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What is compost?

Compost is organic materials that have broken down.

The break down of the organic matter forms a soil amendment called humus.

Humus is a nutrient-rich material.

What is compost used for?

Compost is used to add nutrients to garden soil as a natural fertilizer.

It’s also added to soil to increase its condition by making it easier to work with and plant in.

Compost also increases the soil’s ability to hold water when it is added to the soil.

Benefits Of Composting

  1. Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
  2. Suppresses plant diseases and pests
  3. Encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi
  4. Reduces methane emissions from landfills
  5. Lowers your carbon footprint
  6. One application of compost can have a positive effect on plant growth for up to 8 years

List Of Things You Can Put In A Compost

Kitchen Waste

  • fruit and vegetables
  • egg shells (crushed)
  • stale bread
  • cereal
  • tea and coffee grounds
  • nut shells

Yard and Garden Waste

  • plant trimmings
  • grass clippings
  • sawdust (not pine or cedar)
  • wood ash (excellent source of potassium, thin layers)
  • leaves
  • small twigs
  • pine cones
  • pine needles
  • hay
  • straw
  • wood chips

Bathroom Waste

  • hair
  • nails
  • toilet paper rolls
  • cotton balls
  • dryer lint

Home Waste

  • shredded newspaper (black and white)
  • cardboard
  • paper
  • houseplants
  • old potting soil

Things You Can’t Compost

Meats

  • meat
  • bones
  • fish

Fatty Foods

  • fats
  • grease
  • lard
  • oils
  • salad dressing

Dairy Products

  • butter
  • milk
  • sour cream
  • yogurt
  • eggs

Pet Waste

  • dog feces
  • cat feces
  • kitty litter

Yard Waste

  • black walnut tree leaves or twigs (these are harmful to other plants)
  • diseased or insect-ridden plants (insects and diseases can be transferred to other plants)
  • yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides (these can kill organisms beneficial for composting)
    barbecue ashes or coals
  • pine or cedar sawdust
  • weeds with seed heads or persistent roots (quack grass)
  • herbicide/pesticide treated plant materials
  • rhubarb leaves

Household Wastes

  • metals
  • plastics
  • colored paper
  • medication
  • human feces
  • urine
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Final Thoughts On Composting

Composting will help improve your soil’s condition by adding nutrients and increasing its ability to hold water.

You can add your kitchen scraps, yard wastes, and other household wastes.

List Of Things You Can Compost

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