Organic Gardening: Compost Materials

Composting and Compost

The Best Organic Compost Material

For best results, compost raw vegetable/food matter, eggshells, unseeded weeds if thoroughly dried, and *manures. Less desirable compost materials are onion skins, citrus peelings, cooked vegetable matter or fresh wood shavings.
* Note: Manures should be wintered before applied to the garden. Handle with great care. Parasites are frequently present and some require only skin contact to infect a host.

Compost as a Buried Treasure

When preparations have not been previously made, compost may be done with a simple hole in the ground. The soil in the immediate area will benefit from the increased worm population. If a mulch is available, compost material may also be laid on the top of the ground and then covered well by mulching.