Can I put food that has been sitting in my fridge into the composter? Things like vegetables, pasta, rice, or potatoes that’ve all been pre-cooked?
What about if they have mold, is mold bad for the composter?
Oh, and as a side note, what about nut shells, like walnut shells?
Thanks so much in advance.
Thats why composting is so graet! All that food (except meats, cheeses and fats) can break down into valuable mulch. Then, it doesn’t seem so wasteful either, and it doesn’t add to the landfill. Don’t forget non-meat-eating animal waste can go there too, such as rabbit and chicken manure (NOT dog or cat).
To avaoid "visitors" to the pile, cover the kitchen waste with leaves and dirt. Besides, a compost heap should have these other components anyway. The dirt is for the earthworm’s gizzard–to help "chew" the food. Moreover, the dirt has the "friendly" decomposers you want. The leaves add carbon to modify the rate of decay. If the decay goes too fast, the pile gets too hot, and the "friendly" decomposers could be killed. Compost piles need moisture too, so if there is no rain for several days, water it. Turn it occaisionally to aerate.
You could build a bin with wire fencing around, but I do not. We have seen the skunk out there from time to time, and wait until he leaves or we take the compost out during daylight. We have chickens now, and most of the stuff never makes it too the compost heap. They process it for us, and then we compost their "offerings". We never give spoiled food, just stuff that is OK, but not appealing enough to eat.
Happy Composting!
Robin M.
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