What Can I Compost From The Garden?

What Can I Compost From The Garden?

Most items from a domestic garden can be composted with a little care and time. You can speed up the process by shredding or chopping thick, woody stems, as this helps the bacteria to reach the soft digestible cellulose behind the protective bark. The length of time depends on the size of the pieces and whether the wood pulp has been de-lignified in the pulping process.

Garden Waste

Will It Decay

Cold

Hot

HOTBIN Decay Rate

Comments

Accelerator Powders

Yes

Yes

Yes

Fast

We do not recommend adding these into the HOTBIN

Alfalfa

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Autumn Leaves

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Can be hard to break down - we recommend adding dried and roughly shredded autumn leaves in small handfuls each week

Bird Feathers

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

 

Bone Meal/ Blood Meal

Yes

Yes

Yes

Fast

These can help speed up composting

Branches

Yes

Yes

Yes

Very slow

The larger the branches, the slower they are to compost. You really should shred or chip

Coir - Coconut Husk Fibre

Yes

Yes

Yes

Very slow

Takes a long time, but the fibres do mix in

Conkers

Yes

Yes

Yes

Very Slow

Protective shell will take longer to compost. Chopping or smashing them up will help to compost more efficiently

Couch Grass

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

Should only be added once the HOTBIN has reached 60°c to ensure that all of it is composted effectively

Diseased Plants

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

High temperatures kill disease virus/bacteria

Deep Rooted Weeds -  Dandelion, Ground Elder Etc

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

 

Fertiliser - Ammonium Sulphate

No

Yes

Yes

Fast

Limited value & high cost

Flowers - Stems, Dead Heads, Roots

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Grass

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

Grass is a large volume waste. It can be tricky to compost quickly in a cold compost bin. We recommend drying the grass out slightly to prevent excess water from entering the HOTBIN

Grass Sods

Yes/No

Yes

No

Medium

Adding these will only block airflow through the HOTBIN. Only the grass composts

Grass With Weed Killer

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

Domestic weed killers are biodegradable - please check individual product instructions

Green Leaves

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

Shred waxy leaves

Ground Cover - Nettles

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Hay

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Herbicides

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

Domestic herbicides are biodegradable - please check individual product instructions

Hydrogels - SAP, PAM

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Slow

Can also be added to soil

Japanese Knotweed

Yes

Not Advised

Not Advised

Medium

 

Leylandii Conifer

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Ensure these are well shredded or chopped and add in small amounts rather than a single layer

Lime - Calcium Carbonate

No

Not Advised

Not Advised

-

Lime is not biodegradable. It also affects the pH levels and can stop the composting action so is best left out

Moss

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Takes ages - it is best added in small amounts each week

Old Compost

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Acts as a fantastic kick starter! But do not add too much

Other Non-Native Weeds

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

 

Perlite

No

Not Advised

Not Advised

-

 

Pesticides

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

Domestic pesticides are biodegradable - please check individual product instructions

Pine Cones and Pine Needles

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

 

Plants With Fungus On

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

High temperatures should kill the fungi

Prunings

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Shred or chop where possible

Ragwort

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

Should only be added once the HOTBIN has reached 60°c

Rock /Volcanic Dust

No

Not Advised

Not Advised

-

We question the reason for adding small rock particles to compost

Rhubarb Stems & Leaves

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Seaweed

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

Ensure the salt is rinsed off. Seaweed is thought to encourage other materials to break down more quickly

Soil

No

Not Advised

Not Advised

-

It seems counter-intuitive not to add soil however, try not to! Large sods and/or thick layers prevent aeration and could cause your HOTBIN to become anaerobic. You only need to use a small handful to inoculate a new heap

Straw

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

 

Twigs & Brambles

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

 

Vermiculite

No

Yes

Yes

-

Can add to soil

Weeds - Convolvulus, Dandelion, Bindweed, Buttercup & Horse Tail

Yes

Not Advised

Yes

Medium

Safer to compost in a hot composting bin - as the seeds are likely to survive cold composting

Waxy Leaves - Ivy, Laurel, Holly

Yes

Yes

Yes

Slow

Shred or chop these before adding. Do not add in thick layer and mix in well

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