What organic materials do you use to make compost for your garden?

Answer 1

All valid answers so far, and Rob is spot on, ORGANIC is best and any food waste is usual.OTHER THAN Egg shells and corn cobs which take a lot longer to degrade.

The same can be said for yard waste; IE: fresh cut grass. Dry leaves however will break down more rapidly.

Part of the process involves HEAT generated from within the pile/bin. Adding water on occasion; to dampen the material; then turning it also helps. Certainly anything of an organic nature can be blended with surrounding soil.

The mechanics of it can be as simple as a framed pit; or milk crates on cinder blocks.

I added Rabbits in cages to my pits; and they not only help make the best soil on the planet; but that soil attracted worms enough to keep me in fishing bair for years.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Anything that grew out of the ground. All uncooked fruit and vegetables peelings, cooked too as long as you didn't add any fat, butter or sugar into while it was cooking. Grass clippings, leaves, most any yard waste. Don't put this season plants in your compost if you're going to put the compost back on your garden next year. If there is any disease you'll recycle it too! Egg shells are great, very high in nitrogen, coffee grounds, paper towels, newspaper. No meat (stink to high heaven plus draw carnivores).

Answer 3

Anything and everything. From the hair from your brushes, and YES egg shells are great and breakdown quickly, coffee grounds, left over veggie peels, kitty litter (not the clumping kind only clay, paper or wood based) wood ashes, leaves, dog do do, Anything that will decompose including fish bones.

I have been composting for many years. There isn't much that cannot be used. To help aid in the decomp of the pile, small amounts of ammonia can be used safely. Old fish tank water is also a great addition. Corn cobs are rough but any corn left on them can be cut off. Sea shells also are great. They add needed calcium to the soil and retain moisture. Even old mulches are great to add.

If you live near a sawmill, the saw dust is also a great addition since it adds nitrates to the soil.

Answer 4

anything except oils and fats. no food cooked with butter or oil.
Food scrapes like potato peels, coffe grounds lot of good stuff . compost has to be turned too so use one of those barrels it is a lot easier than using a Pitch Fork to turn over the rotting mass

Answer 5

Any kind of food scraps, lawn and yard trimmings that's organic. I'm not too sure if you would want to use styrofoam since your going organic, but people use it for water absorption when using it for your plants. If you use branches or larger things that don't break down easily, use a mulcher to chop it.

Answer 6

egg shells, corn cobs, skin peeled from vegetables, anything 'organic' that you don't end up eating can be used to compost.

Answer 7

I chop up all the leaves w/ the lawn mower, the blow them into the garden, turn soil all winter

Answer 8

Banana peels. They work wonders because of all of the potassium! I buy them and eat them just so that I can use them.