Compost anything?

[debbiem]

I read about this couple the other day who composted/recycled everything and used their brown wheelie bin as a water butt. We're going to follow suit as far as the brown wheelie and composting everything - we never used to put any meat or fish into it but we are now, not that we have much to go in there. But in order for us to compost everything that would mean breakfast debris i.e. cereal bowls with a fair bit of milk in them. I don't know about this and so far have left milky stuff out of the equation. I know everyone has their own ideas on compost but milk? Wouldn't it just create a stink and a mould and mess up the process?

[madonplants]

It's a dairy product, so don't compost it.
Check here for more details. It is a good site, mentioned on the telly a few years ago.

Keith

[4pygmies]

I wouldn't......I don't put dairy products, citrus skins or onion skins in mine as I find they don't rot down. It's mainly to stop rats being attracted really but in a totally encased bin which reaches a very high temperature quickly it might be alright. You'll have to be very careful with the amount of liquid in it too or it will get very slimy......adding lots of shredded newspaper etc might prevent that happening but even so it's a risk.

[debbiem]

Thanks Keith, it really is a good site, starightforward too. I'll start leaving the meat and fish out then, but it cannot hurt anything with what's already in there, it's such a small amount.
Dairy products just don't feel right to be put in there do they, and rightfully so!

Thanks too 4P - I do put onion skins in there, leftover apple juice and even the odd leftover half glass of wine! The main compost bin rots down very quickly so we must be doing something right and the inhabitants - there's at least one civilzation or two in there! It seems to be the right texture too, unlike the other compost bin which is too dry and at the moment is being used as a formicary, without our permission I should add!

[plocket]

I'm amazed that you are even thinking of putting fish in your compost - I would have thought it would attract all sorts of unwelcome visitors. Have you seen this though: BOKASHI

[debbiem]

Very interesting! Thanks for that, Plocket. It's really a miniscule amount that's in there - the odd remnant of our son's fishcake, the odd sausage roll, things like that, and it's only been for a week or so, so it won't make any difference.
We need some other kind of composter for those sorts of scraps -feathers, 2 legs, cluck cluck?

[plocket]

Ah! I must admit that I think that Bokashi thing might have to go on my wish-list for my birthday. It would be brilliant to be able to compost even more stuff.

[maggyd]

debbiem said:

Very interesting! Thanks for that, Plocket. It's really a miniscule amount that's in there - the odd remnant of our son's fishcake, the odd sausage roll, things like that, and it's only been for a week or so, so it won't make any difference.
We need some other kind of composter for those sorts of scraps -feathers, 2 legs, cluck cluck?

Mrs B the rodent family could have a party on your sausage rolls and fish cakes (What no Cheese)? ;D

[debbiem]

And I'm all out of pineapple chunks, there'll be complaints......