Can I add this to my compost pile?

SeaHuck 6/9/2010, 1:39 pm

I'm a newbie to these boards and to sfg altogether... I have a few boxes that I started not too long ago and hopefully I'll be posting some pictures in the future. I also followed Mel's suggestion and I started a compost pile at my plot in the community garden I'm at. I browsed the categories and didn't think I saw one that this topic fits in, so here I am.

And after that long-winded introduction, my question is whether or not I can add grapes and citrus fruit that is no longer good. Mostly oranges as far as the citrus goes. I think I'm ok with the grapes but I'm not so sure about the citrus and it appears that there's different schools of thought when I try to search on the internet for info.

So I'm curious whether anyone out here has some thoughts or input - thanks in advance for your help!

jinx 6/9/2010, 1:50 pm

I didn't give a second thought to throwing orange peels in my compost. I've been putting everything vege or fruit in it along with my egg shells and coffee grounds. So I'll be interested to get some feedback from someone with knowledge on this one.

extremesoccermom 6/9/2010, 1:59 pm

I do remember reading some where. I thought it was in the SFG book to use citrus rinds sparingly. They can be used but not to much at a time. I will double check tonight. I have been reading a number of books, forums, and various websites so it could have been from any number of places that I am drawing this information Can I add this to my compost pile? Icon_lol

junequilt 6/9/2010, 3:15 pm

We put citrus peels in our compost all the time. They do not affect the quality of the compost. DH likes to make fresh-squeezed lemonade (and I encourage him in that endeavor!), so our compost gets a lot of peels!

While I'm at it, I maybe should mention that I also put citrus, onion, and garlic peels in my worm bins. The instructions to avoid feeding these items to redworms are the equivalent of an old wives' tale. Research has proven that they are safe. My red wigglers particularly love an old orange sliced in half and buried a couple of inches below the surface of the bin.

extremesoccermom 6/9/2010, 7:57 pm

found it. It is not in the SFG information but as junequilt mentions I had found it in my research for feeding worms. They can be used sparingly according to the site. Thanks.

SeaHuck 6/11/2010, 11:50 pm

Thanks for everyone's feedback.... I ended up not putting the oranges in my compost and have since moved on to OTHER compost problems - - namely the bunny rabbits that are living in there now! I haven't seen Mom or Dad but there are 3 baby bunnies that apparently find their new home quite comfortable... it should only be a few weeks before they're up and about and eating anything that might happen to grow in my garden!!! Kicking myself now for not putting up mesh fencing around the outside of the compost box.

Anyway, I figure I'll let them get a bit older and then put some fox urine around the compost area or something in hopes of getting Mom and Dad to relocate - and THEN I'll put the fencing up! Hopefully no damage to the garden in the meantime...

Chopper 6/12/2010, 12:22 am

But a huge boon to the compost pile. Nothing like bunny scat to get a pile going!

Megan 6/12/2010, 7:20 am

Why worry about bunnies in the compost? You get the bunny poo, plus you know they are there.... and NOT in your garden! Very Happy

SeaHuck 6/12/2010, 3:26 pm

I hear you Megan - - the problem is that my compost is in the corner of my garden.... right next to the box that has my spinach and lettuce in it!!!

I have this vision of a Bunny Buffet right outside the door to their house and I don't like the image!!!

Megan 6/12/2010, 5:14 pm

Oh dear!!

**camprn** 6/12/2010, 5:19 pm

Sow more seed now. Very Happy

Can I add this to my compost pile? Tuzky-bunny-emoticon-000002

Odd Duck 6/14/2010, 10:15 am

If you have bunnies in your compost, your compost is too dry! Wait until the babes are out on their own as planned, then start wetting the heap (and do the fence, too!).

In the south our problem is fire ants in the compost and I learned that wetter compost doesn't have fire ant problems (and also rots faster). You don't want it so wet that it stinks, but there's a pretty broad range of "wetness" before you reach the stinky point.

Sharon

SeaHuck 6/14/2010, 12:38 pm

Thanks Sharon - - we moved up to Colorado from the DFW area a few years ago and I'm not missing the fire ants AT ALL!!!!

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