16. The jury is still out on whether onion peels can be added to a compost pile. Composting is an eco-friendly alternative to throwing items in the trash—you not only reduce landfill waste but also gain a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden. Being a slower and less efficient process, cold composting is unsuitable for composting natural fibre fabrics. are not going to add any value to your compost heap. Not only can eggs go in the compost, but cardboard egg cartons can go in the compost pile as well! Materials such as plastic, aluminum, and other metals, glass, synthetic fibers etc. Once you get into the habit, it’s actually easy to compost. 17. Though they are not necessarily toxic to the plant it will remain as it is and would be of no help in the composting process. Remember to tend your pile and keep track of what you throw in. Cold composting is when you simply collect yard waste and put it into a pile or bin. (Aaaaaaand…I’ve actually done all of these…) Here’s how NOT to compost: Not.) All used personal items such as tampons and diapers are soiled with human fluids and are health hazards. In fact, understanding what not to put in a compost ensures that the end product is safe for your garden use. In your compost, you want to put brown and green materials. We’ve made a guide to things you can compost, can sometimes compost, and should never try to compost. They not only will fail to help your compost improve, but they also can kill the microbial activity that is necessary for healthy compost. Compost away. As the name suggests they are not going to get decomposed in the pile. Yaaaaaay. Cold composting can take up to a year to occur and is a great and easy way to compost. Maybe you are just starting composting, and want to avoid trouble, or maybe you tried and it just didn’t turn into the crumbly, earthy goodness we all imagine. Typically, cold composting does not involve organic trash material from your house like vegetables, fruit, eggshells, etc. A) Cold Composting. Compost is not only a great way to add nutrients to your garden, it’s also a good way to increase the organic content and complexity of your soil, making it more porous and able to hold water during a drought. Synthetic soaps. It is better not to toss sawdust into the compost heap at all. Don't compost plastic, metal, glass, bricks, or wood ash. Compost adds nutrients back into your soil, but not everything belongs there. The slower, cold composting methods take anywhere from three months to a year, will NOT kill disease pathogens or weed seeds and roots, and produce a coarser compost. 16. Soaps shouldn’t go in your compost, other than those certified as biodegradable. Used Personal Items. If you want to use eggshells directly, you can also direct compost them in an area where you’re planning to plant/grow tomatoes in the coming months. Onion Peels. Pretty much everything else is fair game, provided that it was once alive. Composting reduces trash output and provides an excellent soil amendment for gardens. What You Should Not Put Into Your Compost Do not add these chemicals to your compost pile. But don’t worry, here’s a list of the best ways to mess up your compost! If you do not have space for an outdoor compost pile, you can compost materials indoors using a special type of bin, which you can buy at a local hardware store, gardening supplies store, or make yourself.