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Is it alright to put old bread/pasta into a compost pile? What risks are associated? Pests, disease, etc??? I did a Google search and found mixed opinions on this.

6/25/2010 6:49:56 PM

Redmond, Washington; U.S.A.

Yes its okay to put it in. Mix it into the pile with the rest of the food waste for the week or how ever you add it. Keep the piles moisture controlled by covering it with a clear Plexiglas cover or something like that. keep the pile hot by adding some grass and turning it once a week to break it down with leaves. 130-140 degrees is good temp to compost at and not be to hot. Maybe getting a temp gauge to help maintain consistent temps. Ideally looking to achieve a C:N ratio of 15/20 - 1 .
Hope at least something in here helps. Ryan

6/25/2010 7:14:27 PM

Winston Salem NC

I use it in mine Brigitte and have had no problems. I mostly feed it to my worms now, they seem to like it.

6/25/2010 9:22:29 PM

Bloomington, IN

This might be worth reading when you've got the time.

http://weblife.org/humanure/chapter3_11.html

Book above link is from:
http://weblife.org/humanure/

6/25/2010 9:29:13 PM

Ohio

Ryan, I think Brigg knows the other part of how to get a pile cooking etc,,,just not the part about if adding the pasta is ok,,lol,,,
I know you dont know this but she graduated from college and has a degree in Horticulture ;-)

but I learned a few things off ya in the post that helped me, and I bet alot of other growers did also,, I really like the plexiglas idea alot, thanks for that Idea Ryan!
I learn something new off this site everyday.

Brooks

6/26/2010 7:42:46 AM

Ohio

Cholo, thanks for posting that,,nice read!

6/26/2010 7:45:50 AM

Redmond, Washington; U.S.A.

Thanks Brooks I got a 4.0 in Evironmental Science of Compost at the University of Washington. I know a couple of things about it. Like how to do every single lab test on compost you can imagine. And yes I know she's a grad student in Hort. Hope your patch is doing well. I don't like forums, but I love to talk compost A LOT :) Ryan

6/26/2010 4:48:27 PM

Ohio

Be looking for some emails from me then Ryan!,,LOL,, I still have a lot to learn about that kind of stuff,,lol

Thanks again

Brooks

6/26/2010 6:06:03 PM

cool, thanks guys. I'm going to start up a pile when I move to a new place at the end of July. :-)

6/27/2010 12:50:04 PM

Colorado

Ive got a italian restaurant next door so one year I put many a loaf of bread in a large compost pile.Flys laid there eggs in it and there were thousands of small maggots- so I quit using it

6/28/2010 12:11:03 PM

Bloomington, IN

cojoe, was any of the bread exposed on the surface of the pile?

6/28/2010 7:02:18 PM

Bloomington, IN

Back when I started my first compost pile I once dug a hole into it and tossed in a spoiled loaf of bread with some other food scraps, then covered it back up. I didn't wait as long as I should have before turning the pile and some of the bread found its way to the surface. I didn't realize it until I started noticing the flies.

Now I have a compost pile going that is specifically made not to be turned and is the reciever of all of my food scraps, including bread, meat, dairy products, and everything else mentioned at the bottom of the chapter I posted a link to. It has attracted no flies, or animals, and gives off no odor. The key is keeping the piles contents covered thouroughly at all times. This pile is also piping hot every time I open it to make a deposit (130-150 degree range).

Offensive food scraps can be put into piles you plan on turning though, just make sure the pile is hot and that you deposit them into the hot center, that way they degrade quickly. Thats what I did with a meat laden bone from a big piece of ham. There was nothing left but the bone when I turned that pile a week later.

6/29/2010 12:32:09 PM