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COMPOST THIS, NOT THAT – EASY COMPOSTING FOR BEGINNERS

Composting is a great way to recycle bits and pieces, that we would normally throw into the trash, into beautiful “black gold”. Composting for beginners can be easy.

As a beginner, it might seem complicated to know what to compost, with a simple compost this, not that list you will know what is important to leave out of the pile and what you can add to the pile.

Let’s start with what stuff to compost.

COMPOST THIS, NOT THAT – Easy Composting for Beginners

When creating your compost pile, you will want to have an equal mix of green materials and brown materials.

Here’s a great list of things you can compost, and things you shouldn’t.

COMPOST:

fruit

watermelon rinds

vegetables

fruit and vegetable scraps

corn cobs

old spices

eggshells

dirt

sawdust and wood shavings

leaves and tree trimmings

hedge/grass clippings

houseplants

wood ashes

wood chips

straw & hay

coffee grinds

coffee filters

tea bags

nuts and shells

shredded newspapers and papers with no color

dryer lint

hair

cotton balls

kleenex

paper napkins and paper towels

kitchen and toilet roll tubes

cardboard

DO NOT COMPOST:

bread

fish and seafood

meat

bones

meal leftovers

grease or oil

dairy products

weeds

colored paper

human or pet waste

cat litter

plastic/metals/foils

limes

Learning what to compost can be tricky, but once you have a great guide to follow and a few supplies you are soon to be a composting expert!

With biodegradable compost bags, you can use an existing container you already have or purchase a countertop compost container.

Composting doesn’t require a lot of work or money and is amazing to help your plants and flowers grow.

You may also like this post on tips for COMPOSTING FOR BEGINNERS:

composting tips for beginners

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Majde

Wednesday 21st of October 2020

Thank you for sharing . how long does it take to use the compost for plants?

Sheron

Saturday 27th of July 2019

Do I need wooden box to make my compost in

Rich Trahan

Monday 4th of April 2022

@Sheron, I built a compost bin from four pallets(free) and a cut-up water heater box(also free). I live in Northern Colorado and it’s very hard to maintain enough moisture to keep the compost cooking. However if you use a moisture meter(inexpensive from hardware garden center) you can monitor your moisture content and add water as needed. Good luck!

Rosalie

Tuesday 25th of December 2018

My husband is diabetic and uses cotton balls both to test his blood sugar and to give himself insulin. Problem is the cotton balls now have alcohol. Can they still go in the compost?Rosalie

Eric

Wednesday 25th of July 2018

Has anyone ever tried composting in paper lawn/leaf bags?

Angela

Sunday 20th of August 2017

Thank you for sharing. Very informative article for me.