Is it okay....?

[imhotep]

Hey peeps!!
I was just curious to know if anyone could help me on this matter about putting food into a compost bin.
My mother tends to put quite a bit of waste food into the compost bin at the back of our garden.She puts all sorts of food in there, even tea bags!!
So, I was wondering, does anyone think if it will be okay and safe if she keeps on doing this?
I will be grateful for any advice.Thanks!

[alexanderd]

nothing wrong with tea-bags and as long as the waste food will rot down it should be ok. Only trouble is waste food could attract vermin

[Jules001]

yes as alexanderd says tea bags are fine, the general rule is no meat or bones and nothing cooked. Fruit and veg peelings and cores etc are ok too

[Buenchico]

There are plenty of workplaces where someone collects everyone's used teabags, in order to take their home for their compost heap! (They're frequently cited as one of the best possible things you can add to compost).

For guidance on what should, or shouldn't be added to a compost bin, see here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...ur_own_compost1.shtml

Chris

[imhotep]

Sorry for the slow reply folks, just been on FB that's why.
But, many thanks to your comments people.
Especially Chris's advice.....big thanks to you mate.
That's a very informative link there.Cheers for that mate!! :D

[imhotep]

Forgot to add that, for as far as I know, I don't think that my mother has put meat, or other cooked food into our compost bin.
Only plant stuffs, like what Jules said, and tea bags.
Better check tomorrow to find out.
Thanks again folks.

[boxtops]

imhotep, the only things that (apart from meat and protein based stuff) I have learned NOT to put into the compost bin are a) egg-shells and b) pasta. Egg-shells don't break down - some of my lovely 2-year-old compost is still full of egg-shells,! - and the layer of skiiny stuff inside the egg-shell is protein-based - and it's the protein which attracts the vermin. Likewise pasta has egg, milk, sometimes sauce, and will attract unwelcome attention.
These days I have a compost bin with contents roughly as follows:
vegetable peelings and waste
fruit peelings, cores etc
soft garden waste (not twigs)
egg boxes
occasional newspaper scrunched up
toilet roll insides

I have two bins so one year I fill up, then seal it for twelve months - so the worms and bugs can get to work! while I fill up the second one. Year two, vice versa. It works well, I have lovely compost at the end of it. Good luck to your mum, she's doing her bit!

[boxtops]

Talking of teabags - did you ever see this?
http://www.metro.co.u...ays-patti-gaal-holmes

[madmaggot]

If you use teabags break them up as most of the bags are synthetic and will not break down so you end up with lots of whole tea bags in your compost.

[hilaryjane]

Our advice would be ;Dont put cooked food in .Raw veg peelings are fine and the tea
bags are fine.It should be covered otherwise it will attract rats etc.

[jomifl]

There is plenty of wildlife such as foxes and magpies that will appreciate a bit of food put out for them. They will usually eat almost everything exept tomato and cucumber (which will go in the compost bin) and they will take the pressure off the waste disposal infrastructure.If the waste is put out in the open and removed if not eaten over 24 hrs then rats will not get a look in. Hedgehogs are quite partial to chips by the way and make foxes wait until they have had their fill.

[madmaggot]

I wouldn't put tomatoes in or you'll have tomato plants appearing wherever you put your compost down.

[LoftyLottie]

We have three huge compost bins and put all sorts in. We keep one for twiggy, woody stuff to break down. Takes longer but makes good weed cover as per bark.

[imhotep]

Hi folks!! I have just now signed in onto AB.
I am staggered by the link that boxtops has posted earlier......
32,000 tea bags!!!! Strange lady!!
I woudn't dream of collecting so many of them things.How very odd!!!

Our compost bin does have a lid to it, so nothing can enter it from the outside.
Hmmm, ooooh, ahem......I think my mum has put some tomato waste in it madmaggot.
Oh dear, I think I better watch my compost closely so that no tomatoes start growing there!!! Thanks for that advice my friend.
I find nature amazing really, as when you open the lid I always tend to see a number of woodlice,small flies,a couple of slugs or snails just happily eating away in breaking down the waste.I'm guessing that this is natural when you put stuff into the compost bin. :))