Hi Ted - there is a composting forum here where your questions are discussed almost daily. ;) Why not check in over there?

I think you'll find that stuff like shredded newspaper, paper from the office document shredder, Styrofoam packing peanuts to retain moisture, hay, alfalfa, soy bean meal are all frequently used and recommended ingredients - except for the foam peanuts.

As a general rule anything that was ever growing in some form can be added to compost.

Dave

PS: That forum also has a great set of FAQs you might want to review.

Here is a link that might be useful: Soil & Composting forum

Most of the above mentioned items are good for your compost. I wouldn't use left over cooked food or any meat products and I would skip the egg shells, unless you grind them up first. Skip the foam peanuts as they do not retain water and the will be very messy as they do not degrade. You will end up with peanuts all over your yard and the neighbors too. Newspapers is great.

Shirley,
Why not left over cooked food?

Steve

I feed all fuzzy food from my frig to the compost pile...have to bury it so the feral cats don't dig it out plus junk mail and personal info I don't want someone finding in the garbage, paper products, garden trimmings, weeds, etc.

Peggy

Any vegetable can be composted in it's natural state. It's best if they decompose naturally. Once cooked, other things are usually added, like oil to salad, butter to mashed potatoes etc. Also, cooked foods may attract rodents. Coffee grounds are an exception. They get dispersed well. To each his own, I guess.
I have two composts going. Both are exposed to the elements. I don't turn it over as I'm filling it. I take the top of last years pile and place it in the bottom of this years pile. Then I use the bottom of last years pile to scatter on the garden. This way I have a good start on the new compost.

Cooked food and eggshells both work fine. Eggshells break down pretty slowly but it doesn't really matter if you have pieces of eggshell in your compost.
Packaging like cereal boxes or other cardboard food containers (ripped or shredded) is good in the compost pile. Tissues and paper towels. House plant debris that are not diseased. Nail clippings and hair are both good as are the contents of your vacuum cleaner bag.

Jon

Everyone can put whatever they want into a compost pile. If I find a leftover macaroni salad in my frig., I certainly wouldn't put in the compost.

As a rule if it is organic, it goes into the compost pile. things like meat and dairy many choose to avoid as they may smell/attract flies if they aren't put into the middle of the pile and if one has meat eating critters around they may be attracted to the pile (dogs would be such a critter, including one's own :)

Of the items you listed the ones I wouldn't put into the pile have already been mentioned such as the foam peanuts.

I also wouldn't put soybean meal into the pile because it has great value as a reasonably fast acting source of N. In other words I use soybean meal directly for N fertilizer both in my gardens and for my lawn. The alfalfa, if a meal, I would also leave out and use as a fertilizer. Adding these to the pile will see most of their nutrient value, particularly the N leeched out or volatilized out (turned to a gas) before the compost is done and used. Certainly they can be composted, I just see more value in using them directly.

I compost lots of Starbucks coffee grounds (literally tons of them) as a green to go with wood shavings & saw dust from animal bedding. (puppies and horses) I enjoy the idea that I'm adding minerals from all over the world. I think the CSI lab would never be able to locate my garden based on mineral makeup.

I keep all my ingredients separated until I'm ready to make a whole pile. This way I can ensure it's a hot pile. I also compost canine manure from the kennel and lawn sweeper, so a hot pile is critical.

good morning everyone

i have a bottle on my kitchen counter and add all my vegetable peelings and food anything that is compostable.
then it is taken outdoors and put into a compost pile.
it is fun doing that because it eliminates wet trash in your recyables. the earth gives you good soil for planting and you in turn give back to the soil. i love to compost, the end results are exciting.

You can put pretty much put anything that is edible in a compost pile with the exception of meat. Meat is a no no. You can also use paper and cardboard, although it is a good idea to limit the paper with a large amount of bright colored inks. The chemicals from the inks will leach into the pile and can do more harm than good.

Here is a link that might be useful: Watch Me Grow A Giant pumpkin

Meat is a no no. You can also use paper and cardboard, although it is a good idea to limit the paper with a large amount of bright colored inks. The chemicals from the inks will leach into the pile and can do more harm than good.

I'm sorry but this just isn't valid info and only serves to confuse anyone new to the process of composting (not mention posted primarily just to redirect to your personal website).

Many include meats, as well as dairy products, the other supposed "no-no" in their compost piles all the time with absolutely no problems. And this includes not only home composters but also the university composting research sites as well as commercial operations. While including it may pose some problems for urban composters IF the meat products aren't buried deep in the pile, there is nothing that prohibits the use of meat in composting.

And the use of colored inks in compost, while recommended against years ago when the inks were chemically based, is also no longer prohibited as the majority of the inks are now soy based and have been for many years.

Once again, all of this is discussed in GREAT detail over on the Soil & Compost forum where discussions such as this are ongoing daily - and with far more accurate information provided.

Dave

I agree with the meat, anything that rots works for me as long as there are no harmful chemicals in the stuff, let it rot. Compost helps a garden tremendously, but a lot of gardeners will plant a cover crop like winter rye in the late fall. It adds a lot organic matter to your garden and also gets the garden to dry up earlier in the spring. It does prevent soil erosion during the winter too. This way you can help your garden year round. Good luck!