What Not to Compost – Avoid These Items for a Successful Composting Journey

What Not to Compost: Your Essential Checklist

Composting is an excellent way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. By recycling organic materials, you can contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle. However, not everything belongs in your compost bin. To help you make the most of your composting efforts, we have compiled a comprehensive list of what not to compost.

Fatty Foods and Oils

Avoid putting fatty foods such as meat scraps, bones, dairy products, and oily items like salad dressings or cooking oils into your compost bin. These substances take longer to break down and can attract unwanted pests.

Processed Food Waste

While fruit and vegetable scraps are great for composting, processed food waste like breads, cereals, pasta, or anything containing preservatives should be kept out of the mix. These items often contain additives that may hinder the decomposition process.

Diseased Plants

If you notice any plants in your garden suffering from diseases or infestations, it’s best not to include them in your compost pile. Including diseased plants could potentially spread pathogens throughout the rest of your soil when using finished compost later on.

Weeds with Mature Seeds

Weeding is an essential part of maintaining a healthy garden but be cautious about adding weeds with mature seeds into your compost pile. Unless properly managed at high temperatures (above 140°F), these seeds may survive the decomposition process and sprout again once you use the finished compost.

Invasive Plants

Invasive plants tend to spread aggressively beyond their intended boundaries if given favorable conditions for growth. Avoid adding invasive plant species like kudzu or ivy that could potentially reestablish themselves when using the compost in other areas of your garden or beyond.

Chemically Treated Wood

Wood treated with chemicals, such as pressure-treated lumber or painted wood scraps, should not be included in your compost. These materials may contain harmful substances that can leach into the soil and negatively impact plant growth.

Cat and Dog Waste

While it may seem like a good idea to compost your pet’s waste, it is generally not recommended. Cat and dog waste can contain pathogens that may persist even after the composting process. Instead, dispose of these wastes separately in designated areas away from edible plants.

Inorganic Materials

Avoid adding any non-biodegradable materials to your compost pile. This includes plastic bags, synthetic fabrics, metals, glass, rubber bands – basically anything that won’t decompose naturally over time.

The Takeaway: Composting Do’s and Don’ts

Composting is an eco-friendly way to reduce waste while improving the health of your garden soil. By following this handy checklist of what not to compost, you’ll ensure a successful and productive composting experience:

• Avoid fatty foods and oils
• No processed food waste
• Keep diseased plants out
• Be cautious with weeds containing mature seeds
• Avoid invasive plant species
• No chemically treated wood – Keep cat and dog waste separate.