what do you compost?

[princesstutu]

I finally made myself a composter and I'm having fun with it, but I wonder...can I compost lint? I can't remember what I've read about that over the years now that I actually need the info.

What do you compost?

I compost all vegies, fruits, plant stuff, tea bags, coffee grounds, even some paper. I've gotten to the point in my life where putting anything in the trashcan irks me. If I can't put it in the recycling bins or the composter, I'm almost mad I even have it in my house.

:

[lilylove]

I compost dryer lint
I also do the usual kitchen and yard scraps.
If you have pets you can compost their hair too.

[MiaPia]

*kitchen scraps (including meat, cheese and egg scraps and pasta, rice, bread type scraps)
coffee grounds and used tea leaves
pet fur and human hair (cleaned out of our brushes)
dryer lint
yard waste
shredded newspapers
coffee grounds from our local coffee house
dead bugs (such as when we kill a fly or cricket inside - I hate crickets and they love my old house)
old potting soil
sawdust from my dad's shop

*I should add though that the kiddos and I are vegetarian. DH eats meat, but not that often. So while I *do* put meat scraps and bones in my compost pile it is MAYBE once a week. If we ALL at meat every day I might have second thoughts about composting that large amount.

[rmayherbs]

kitchen scraps no meat or dairy
yard waste
tired potting soil
the occasional dead pet fish lol
bunny rabbit litter (timothy hay & newspaper & bunny poo - great stuff!)
I water it with the water from fishtank water changes after i have used it to water plants.

The rabbit litter was the real reason I started the pile. I hated to throw out 1 big trashbag of all that good compostable stuff every week. I figure even if I don't use all of it, It will eventually return to the soil and not be stuck in the landfill.

[purplegirl]

vegetables
fruit
leaves
coffee grinds and the filters
brown paper bags
saw dust
egg shells

[artemis33]

pretty much what others have said...

fruit/veggie scraps
eggshells
tea bags / loose teas
coffee grounds
yard waste / weeds / leaves / moss lol , etc.
old flowers
dead house plants
hair from my brushes

[Dovesong]

Really? You all compost hair? Does that work? I remember hearing about someone who composted the contents of their unique septic system and the vegetables had hair in them.

The only thing I put in the dryer is my rags to get rid of the dog hair, so my lint is always full of hair!

I compost newpaper and all kinds of food scraps, crushed egg shells, newspaper and shredded paper (no colors) sometimes cardboard. We use our grass clippings to cover weed infested areas. I have a worm bin, so the grass clippings would not fit there anyway.

[lilylove]

I've never had a problem with composting hair. At least I've never seen any hair that was still recognizable in the finished compost.

[jenerationx]

fruit/veggie scraps
eggshells
tea bags
coffee grounds/coffee filters
dead flowers
yard waste--leaves, dead weeds, some grass, some twigs
lint
some newspaper

[dillonandmarasmom]

Originally Posted by Dovesong

Really? You all compost hair? Does that work? I remember hearing about someone who composted the contents of their unique septic system and the vegetables had hair in them.

The only thing I put in the dryer is my rags to get rid of the dog hair, so my lint is always full of hair!

I compost newpaper and all kinds of food scraps, crushed egg shells, newspaper and shredded paper (no colors) sometimes cardboard. We use our grass clippings to cover weed infested areas. I have a worm bin, so the grass clippings would not fit there anyway.

:Puke to the bolded part.

We compost most things, too. I actually didn't compost the dryer lint, but I think I will now. Not sure why I hesitated. Hoping I actually won't have dryer lint for several months, though, since the warm weather has struck and my dryer gets a vacation.

[snozzberry]

What's the reason for not composting meat and dairy products?

[Aeress]

I compost moldy bread as well.

I know it is a concern cause of it attracting rodents but I don't use my compost for veggies just flowers.

[lightheart]

one of the issues with meat and dairy is the oils/fats, they will basically clog the air flow.... there's issues with 'bad' bacteria also.

It can be done though.

I compost most everything that will rot down, meat and dairy goes into my pile. (what the dog doesn't get for scraps)

there's a compost 101 in the gardening section here... http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ad.php?t=20598

[straighthaircurly]

I compost all fruit/vegie scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, and other plant material. I haven't been composting items from other rooms (pet hair, lint, etc. because I need a better collection system). And I have always wished I could compost the rest of our food scraps....so I really want one of these when we build our new house http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com...emill_plus.htm

Anyone ever used one? Do they work well?

[notwonamesalike]

Originally Posted by straighthaircurly

I compost all fruit/vegie scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, and other plant material. I haven't been composting items from other rooms (pet hair, lint, etc. because I need a better collection system). And I have always wished I could compost the rest of our food scraps....so I really want one of these when we build our new house http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com...emill_plus.htm

Anyone ever used one? Do they work well?

I don't have one of the Nature Mill's, but I really want one. I would love to be able to compost our dairy, meat and, and grains.

We vermicompost. On the left side is the new veggie scraps, on the right side is the finishing compost.

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...g/HPIM1442.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...g/HPIM1441.jpg