Everything About Composting: What Kind of Food Is Suitable and What's Not

Food compost is one of the important components that goes into the mix of raised garden beds. However, we can't just throw all our food waste into the beds for composting. Do you know what types of food are good for the plants and what types are harmful?

Here is a list of compost-friendly and compost-unfriendly foods:

Compost-Friendly Foods:

- Fruits (Citrus fruits are not recommended)

- Vegetables (Leaves, corn cobs, peels)

- Coffee grounds and filters

- Eggshells

- Nut shells (Peanuts, Pistachio, etc)

- Tea bags

Compost-Unfriendly Foods:                                                          

- Dairy products

- Meat

- Fish

- Oils and greases

- Breads and grains

Fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrients while the coffee grounds and nut shells supply nitrogen to your plants. The eggshells provide calcium, which is an important nutrient for plant growth. Tea bags are also compostable and add tannic acid to the mix.

On the other hand, dairy products, meat, and fish will attract rodents and other pests. Oils and greases can clog up your compost bin. Breads and grains can also attract pests. So, when you're composting, make sure to only add compost-friendly foods.

When composting, it is important to remember the ratio of brown materials to green materials. Brown materials are high in carbon and include items such as dead leaves, twigs, and wood chips. Green materials are high in nitrogen and include items such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps, and coffee grounds. The ideal ratio is 30:01 brown to green materials.

Now that you know what kinds of food compost well, get out there and start composting! Your plants will thank you for it.

Happy composting!