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Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.

Spent plants, potting soil and autumn leaves make excellent compost materials. Break them into smaller pieces and wet them down as you add them to the pile. (Photo Courtesy Phil Peters)

Spent plants, potting soil and autumn leaves make excellent compost materials. Break them into smaller pieces and wet them down as you add them to the pile. (Photo Courtesy Phil Peters)

Since the earlier article on composting, I hope you have tried your hand at starting a compost pile and are having a successful time. We suggested thinking in terms of colors: brown for high carbon materials, green for high nitrogen ones, and clear for water and air that are necessary for the decomposers to move around and live. A brown layer might be 4-to-6-inches thick, followed by a green layer 2-to-3-inches thick and enough water to moisten the material like a damp sponge. Mix it all together, turn it periodically, and let nature take her course.

Let’s look at what constitutes these colors and consider some materials that people often ask about.

If it is a natural organic material, it is subject to decay. If it came from nature it will return to nature. Much of what nature produces we can compost.

Brown materials supply the carbon the microbes need to get energy to do their work. Generally speaking, if it is dead or dry, it falls under the brown label. However, not all the carbon-rich materials are brown. True, dead leaves, wood chips, straw and coffee grounds fit the pattern as do tea bags, hair, and dryer lint. But pine needles, fresh leaves, fruit scraps, and flowers don’t; yet they are also high in carbon and can be considered brown.

You can also compost bread, coffee filters, paper napkins and towels if there is no grease on them. Newspaper can also be put in the pile. Nowadays the inks are safe and should not cause problems. Cardboard can also be cut up and added to the pile. Shred it up, and dampen it, then mix it in with the rest.

I shred my past receipts, bills, those annoying mailings that say I am pre-approved for something, and old household records that are no longer necessary to retain but have sensitive information I don’t want to get out.

The establishment that cuts my hair tells me that there is a farmer who comes by regularly to pick up the hair cuttings to compost them. Of course, you can also put in small twigs and branches. If cut into small pieces or run through a chipper, they will decay more rapidly.

On the other hand, if it is living, it probably fits in the green, nitrogen-rich category. Grass clippings, fresh or wilted plant materials, garden plant clippings, and vegetable and salad scrap waste are rich in nitrogen that the microbes use for proteins; but so are cow, pig, horse, and chicken manure. These definitely are not green.

Rice and pasta are compostable. Some people compost eggshells. You should wash these to remove material that will attract pests. I find this is rather tedious. Also, eggshells take a long time to break down. No matter how long I wait, they still look and behave like eggshells and can detract from the appearance of the garden. Use them if you want.

Most homeowner applied pesticides will break down over time. So even if you have sprayed your vines or plants, it is usually safe to put them in the pile. Let the pile compost over the year, then use it in the garden or on the lawn. Avoid composting material that has been treated with herbicides or weed killers. While many of these will break down over the course of the year, it is probably not worth the risk.

Some things definitely should not be put in the compost pile. This list includes pet feces, noxious weeds and invasive species, diseased plant material, grease and animal fats, meat and fish, bones, and dairy products. Greasy materials will attract rodents and cause odors.

While the compost pile will heat up, not all weed seeds or harmful disease pathogens will be destroyed by the process. Material on the perimeter will not get as hot as the middle of the pile. You do not want to propagate these problems.

Likewise, it is unwise to compost lime or ashes. The reason is that these can change the chemical makeup of the pile and cause it to produce unpleasant odors or make the compost unusable by changing the alkalinity or acidity around the plants.

People often wonder if they can compost their pine needles or oak leaves. They are afraid of the acid content of the material. Used in reasonable amounts they will add an important carbon source to your pile and the acids will weaken or leech out during composting. Since both materials are quite tough, it will help if you can shred them with a shredder or run the mower over them. The smaller particles will help them deteriorate faster.

While most paper and cardboard are welcome additions to the pile, it is not recommended to try to compost shiny or coated papers used in magazines and many advertisements that we receive. These do contain inks and chemicals that are not wanted in the compost. So be sure to use only uncoated paper (no glossy sheen) or cardboard in your pile.

Monday videos: Visit us on Facebook at Penn State Master Gardeners in Adams County for our Master Gardeners’ Monday Videos. Timely and relevant topics will be discussed on a weekly basis keeping readers up to date on current horticultural issues.

Hotline: The Master Gardener Hotline is open April through September, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Master Gardeners can take your samples on Mondays and Fridays. Please send an email (with pictures if possible) to adamsmg@psu.edu with your gardening questions, or stop by Penn State Extension, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg.

Wellness in the Garden: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join us for a morning of movement in the garden. We will learn the best ways to move as we garden and learn about the plants and insects that keep us and our gardens healthy. To register, visit https://extension.psu.edu/wellness-in-the-garden.

Phil Peters is a Penn State Master Gardener from Adams County. Penn State Cooperative Extension of Adams County is located at 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Suite 204, Gettysburg, phone 334-6271.

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