Help, I've gone and put old potatoes in my compost bin and now they have started to grow in my compost bin!

Question

I don't know what to do about it. I cant empty it cause I will throw up! Yuk! Please help....any advice from you will be great! I thought you could put any old fruit or veg in the compost bin

Answer 1

Well, if the potatoes are growing, then your compost pile is cold. You need to activate it, either by turning, adding an activator, or watering. An active compost pile will "sterilize" each addition, and allow it to contribute to the whole. Your balance must be off. Try to think what you have added, and research the balance of green and brown. The other option is to let them grow. If your pile is "done" you'll have excellent compost for them to grow in, and just mulch the plants until the vines die back this fall, and enjoy your organically grown potatoes!

Answer 2

If they are green shoots, they will grow into potato plants. This will not do any harm. The potato plants will break down nutrients in the compost bin. They will themselves produce small potatoes but they will probably be small.
Each eye of the potato is capable of becoming a plant. Breeders use this ability to build up stocks of rare potatoe strains.
Apple pips can also grow in compost bins. as can buddlia and weeds with stocky roots.
If the bits are white and fluffy and smelly this is a fungus and part of the process of decomposition.

You could try knocking the potato shoots to bits with a stick.
Or bribe a child to remove it for you ( wearing gloves because the green bits of potatoes are poisonous)

Answer 3

Kitchen scraps make fine compost, but they can lead to problems with animals, insects, odor and regrowth. If you add kitchen scraps to your leaf compost, add small amounts (less than a gallon) at a time and bury completely under 8 inches of leaves. Other good options to compost kitchen scraps are to use commercial compost bins or worm farming. Leaves and other garden wastes are the basic ingredients of a trouble free home compost pile.

Answer 4

You can plant the potatoes in your garden and they will grow. You can put any fruit or vegetable in your compost bin, but you need to have the proper ratio of ingredients for the ingredients for it to compost. Layering grass clippings with brown leaves and animal manure helps.

Answer 5

Unless you want to plant them into your garden just leave them be. It sounds like your compost bin is doing well for plants to take root in them. Chances are most of your compost has changed to black earth which smells ok and much like fresh earth (kinda nice actually). Use a pitch fork or shovel to flip things around and I bet the smell wont be as bad as you imagine.

Answer 6

Some veggies will grow like potatos and garlic. Don't worry about them, they will either grow and you can harvest them at a later time or they will eventually rot with the rest of the compost.

Answer 7

I have found that by cutting up your kitchen scraps, your pile does it job much more efficiently. I would get something to dig them out.... or get someone else to do it.... and then make them smaller. Throw them back in and then check to see if your ratios are correct. You can have a cold compost pile, it just takes ALOT longer to turn!

Answer 8

Check the way you are doing your compost. If it is done correctly, enough heat should be generated to not let things germinate

Answer 9

You can but you are supposed to turn it regularly etc.. lol... I say throw a potato party haha....Youll probably get the most delicious and large potatoes around!

Answer 10

Just Put on a mask close your eyes and stir it ~~