What Not to Compost
Leave These Items Out of Your Composter or Worm Bin
Enthusiastic composters are often willing to try throwing anything into the bin. If it could rot, it goes in. While some may be successful with an “anything goes” approach, there are some simple rules that will make composting much easier.
Don't Compost Animal Waste
While garden lovers enjoy placing aged cow manure on the garden, fresh cat litter and dog waste can contain pathogens. It’s best to keep animal waste out of the compost pile. Though the pile may get hot and cook some of the waste, it will not get hot enough to deal with the animal pathogens.
Meat, Dairy and Bread Products Attract Rodents
Unless it's a composter such as bokashi compost that can turn meat and dairy products into soil, avoid placing meat, dairy and bread into the compost. It’s not that they don’t rot – it’s just that they tend to attract flies, rodents, bears and other creatures that are less desirable as compost visitors.
Clippings from Invasive Plants Can Cause a New Population Explosion
If a plant is a problem in the neighbourhood and is a hardy invader, it may survive in the compost. If it is like many invasives, it may reproduce through vegetative reproduction, so any bits and pieces of plant left in the compost could grow again. Spread this compost on the garden and spread the problem around! Local governments have any programs or protocols for the removal of invasive species - contact them for advice.
Composting Clippings From Diseased Plants Could Spread Disease
If a plant is simply dead, it should be fine to compost it. However, if a plant disease has taken hold in the garden, contact a local garden centre to determine what the disease might be. If they suggest that the disease could persist in composted materials, do not compost the dead plants!
Be Wary of Composting Toxic Materials
The items that go into the compost come out as soil. Be especially wary of toxins if the soil is to be used in a fruit or vegetable garden. Materials such as treated wood and plants sprayed heavily with pesticides are on the list of items to avoid. The easiest solution – don’t use these in the garden in the first place!
Worms May Not Like Citrus, Onions and Egg Shells
Citrus, onions and egg shells are controversial topics in the composting world. Citrus has oils that worms may not like, but eventually it will break down in the compost. The worms may not eat the onions first, but they may eat them. For some lucky gardeners, onions will sprout in the compost and become new baby plants. Recycle them in the garden! Egg shells are difficult for worms to compost, but crushing them first makes life a little easier on the worms.
Composting shouldn’t be stressful. It’s quite possible to compost any number of things. However, some compostables also invite unwanted visitors like rodents to the garden. By being sensitive to the needs of the soil, worms, and microbes in the garden, gardeners should be able to avoid most of the common concerns of those new to composting and create wonderful soil for the flower or vegetable garden.
Worms May Not Like Onions
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