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Post by theloamranger on Apr 15, 2023 21:37:23 GMT -5
What are your thoughts on composting vegetables scraps? Specifically regular, non organic vegetable scraps. I know the waste is mostly the peels and whatnot that has most of the pesticide, wax, and whatever else. Do you think it is unhealthy to use this in compost? Should the scraps maybe get washed first or even baked in the oven? Or is it totally fine for the most part and don't worry about it?
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Post by breezygardener on Apr 15, 2023 21:54:35 GMT -5
I composted vegetable scraps for many, many years, & didn't give a hoot about the organic-ness of what I used. Honestly - thanks to both chicken & horse manure in my piles, I figured the heat buildup would destroy anything particularly wonky. If you make it too complicated, you won't want to do it.
Really - don't worry about it.
I'd still be composting today except that we just have way too many critters here. I have enough trouble keeping the raccoons, skunk, possums, & bear away from my regular trash without also having to invite them around to a compost pile.
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 15, 2023 23:08:59 GMT -5
Specifically regular, non organic vegetable scraps. I know the waste is mostly the peels and whatnot that has most of the pesticide, wax, and whatever else. Do you think it is unhealthy to use this in compost? Should the scraps maybe get washed first or even baked in the oven? Or is it totally fine for the most part and don't worry about it? I rarely buy conventionally grown produce and other foods but when I do I wash it before I use it, peel it etc.and toss the scraps into the compost pile without hesitation. I wouldn't worry about it, but if you have theses concerns perhaps you'd like to consider purchasing organic produce as much a possible. |
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Post by emmsmommy on Apr 16, 2023 4:17:15 GMT -5
I pretty much compost all vegetable scraps, whether peelings or something that is past its prime. I do try to buy organic but that's not always possible. Since vegetable scraps make up a minute percentage of my compost pile, I don't sweat it.
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Post by raphanus on Apr 16, 2023 7:30:42 GMT -5
The short answer is I wouldn’t worry about this at all, compost most everything.
The long answer is….. If I were willing to put store-bought produce into my body, I can’t imagine being hesitant about putting the scraps into my garden compost.
I also don’t really see an alternative to composting the scraps, if the scraps aren’t composted, where do they go? Many localities are mandating composting of food scraps now because it’s not sustainable to keep putting them in landfills. Getting chickens or composting worms is probably the best option. When I used to buy produce from the store, I didn’t worry much about pesticide residues, most degrade fairly rapidly if you have healthy soil full of microbes, but I did worry about introducing plant pathogens / diseases into my garden from store bought vegetable scraps. The only produce I buy at the store now is apples, bananas, and avocados, and I will compost those scraps because those aren’t closely related to any of the crops I grow. Anaerobic composting is a good way to deal with sketchy vegetable scraps, throw them all in a large rain barrel (paint the barrel black if possible), pack them down and put a lid on it and let cook in the sun for a few months before adding to regular compost pile.
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Post by gb98 on May 29, 2023 7:24:50 GMT -5
I compost most vegetative material except banana and avocado peels which take forever to decompose. I also don't put any grains, nuts or animal products as they will attract critters. And if you grow raspberries, it is important to not add any nightshade plants - tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or potatoes as these carry verticillium which can kill the raspberries.
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