Q: I want to start composting my kitchen waste and I'm wondering whether seeds from produce can go in. One would think that pepper seeds might start a plant of their own in the compost pile. What say you? I found the EPA's web page on compost, which lists Do's and Don'ts, but it doesn't address seeds.
Sent in by Click Chick
Editor: It's our understanding that just about anything organic can go in compost: bones, banana peels, unprinted paper. The do's and don'ts matter if you are in a rush or if you live in a place where wild critters (or neighbor dogs) might rummage through your pile: in that case, leave out the paper and anything that contains meat, like spoiled leftovers. We are a little perplexed, though, by the EPA's language: animal manure is in, but pet waste is out? Huh?
A further aside about language and culture: it is shocking that 24% of our garbage is "yard trimmings and food residuals." We wonder why the EPA doesn't call it what it is: waste.
As for seeds... A properly functioning compost pile gets hot enough that few seeds will germinate, and the chemical composition of a compost pile is simply too rich for most plants: so many nutrients are actually poison. (Remember back to your childhood when your neighbors over-fertilized, and killed, their lawn.) So compost away, seeds and all. A few seeds may tough it out, but it's unlikely you'll end up with a pepper plant in your compost pile.
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i would guess the reason you can use animal manure and not pet waste is because that is assuming these "animals" (ie cows, goats, etc.) eat mainly grass, while dogs/cats eat a combination of meat and grains... what you put in is what you get out.
our city has a composting program. what you can deposit in a yardwaste container (yard clippings, veg/fruit scraps, egg shells, etc, but NOT meat or dairy) is made into compost, so the same rules probably apply.
http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Yard/Composting/SPU01_001997.asp
Regarding not composting Pet-Poo...since cats/dogs are fed meat products, their poo should not be composted - doesn't break down and is especially attractive to vermin.
And cat/dog poo can contain pathogens/parasites that should not be composted (and spread on your veggie garden...).
Link to more info
I put plants with seeds in both my vermicompost and compost. I suggest that you do not anything in the compost that is invasive and has seeds (you don't want invasives in your garden!) or plants with seeds such as ragweed (allergies!)
Ocassionally I get things sprouting in both composters. Last year I got an accidental zuccini plant in my garden thanks to the compost that I used!
if you are planning to use the compost as fertilizer, i recommend not putting any weeds in your compost. other yard waste should be okay. my mom spread compost that included weeds on her vegetable garden and it was covered with weeds. now we have a "good compost" pile that can go on the garden and a "bad compost" pile that just decomposes on its own.
otherwise, i think the rule is no animal products and no foods cooked in oil.
In an ideal compost pile with the proper green/brown ration, the heat would get high enough to kill the seeds and keep them from germinating....but in a northern climate, it might not get hot enough for long enough to cook the compost.
Both this year and last year I had the pleasant surprise of getting many tomato and squash plants from my compost. I think it may depend too on where you put your compost pile. More sun might equal less germination. It's nice though, to discover that you have fifteen sungold tomato plants mixed in with your parsley.
Agreeing with what others have said - it depends on if your compost gets hot enough to kill the seeds, or if you mind getting a few plants in unexpected places. So far we've had all sorts of vegetable seeds in ours, and no plants yet.
Definitely don't put weeds in to compost though, as they're tough and will likely return from the grave to haunt you!
I wouldn't put bones in either! Unless you really like rats! Basically - veg/fruit scraps (don't worry bout the seeds), gardening waste (I put weeds in too, especially nettles which are great for activating the compost, I think cos of their nitrogen content), egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags and unbleached, unwaxed paper and cardboard (like eggboxes) if it's torn into pieces. Cigarette ends only if you smoke filterless roll-ups!
Seeds provide the best surprises! We had thrown some rotten winter squash in the compost bin one year, and a few years later, near the bin we found a HUGE squash plant! Needless to say, we were very well fed that week.
Remember that if your pets are rabbits, their poo is -excellent- for compost. It's just the meat eaters that cause problems.
We toss in seeds. It's hard to get the compost pile hot enough to kill them, but I enjoy the volunteers. We have several mystery squash plants growing out of last year's compost bin.
I wouldn't let all volunteers go, though. Lots of produce you buy comes from hybrid plants. Their seeds will produce less and less in succeeding generations and it can be a waste of water and effort to nurture a little plant, only to have it produce a measley tomato or two.
I've never heard that seeds will hurt your compost pile. I ended up with several cantaloupe plants from mine.
my compost guide specifically says to NOT put seeds in your compost pile.
I remember a tomato vine growing out of some compost in my parents garden when I was a kid. A rogue seed from one of last years rotting tomatoes that was thrown in.
I think 'weeds' are generally ok in a compost pile, as long as they're not invasive species. For example, dandelions or nettles would be perfectly fine to compost, but kudzu or water hyacinth is a definite no, for all parts of the plant. What is considered invasive varies by region, and what is native in one area can be invasive in another, so definitely check.
My mother tossed a few over-ripe heirloom tomatoes in her compost pile one year. The next growing season, she reaped 50 pounds of tomatoes from that very compost pile--they'd grown from those seeds! The conditions had been perfect, though; it hasn't happened since!
My parents have tons of tomato plants growing all over their property from the seeds that went into the compost pile - but this is a good thing!