I want to compost, but don't have any good options at present. Can I just throw my organic waste into the bushes and let nature do its thing? [more inside]
posted by nicoleincanada on Nov 22, 2009 - 19 answers

What vegetables are best to plant in a plot filled with unrefined compost? [more inside]
posted by jeremias on Jun 2, 2009 - 12 answers

Are there any downsides to becoming a human garbage disposal? I'm tired of composting and/or throwing out vegetable material. Would there be any seriously ill effects if I just started eating all of the vegetal "waste," i.e. peels, rinds, seeds, myself? What about egg shells?
posted by mrgrimm on May 21, 2009 - 33 answers

We buried our euthanized cat in our back yard. The vet told us that she would be poisonous to any animal that might dine on her remains, so bury her deep. Here's my question: What effect do euthanasia drugs have on the natural decomposition of animal remains? Will her body kill all the worms, bugs and microbes that would normally stop by for a meal? Will this have a negative impact on the adjacent ornamental garden plants?
posted by Carmody'sPrize on May 6, 2009 - 11 answers

We live in Vermont and have very long winters. I would like to start composting our pet waste (we have two smallish dogs) but all of the options I have found online are in-ground septic-type systems that do not function when soil temperatures drop. I am specifically looking for advice from someone who has discovered or built a system that operates reliably in colder temperatures. [more inside]
posted by turtlegirl on Apr 23, 2009 - 7 answers

Can you identify this plant? The soil used for the flowerbed came from the compost bin, so it could be any number of vegetables -- I just don't recognize it. [more inside]
posted by waitangi on Apr 6, 2009 - 14 answers

I want to give my wife the gift of compost... [more inside]
posted by avrobie on Dec 18, 2008 - 19 answers

When good composters go bad, can a putrefying composter be turned back to composting? [more inside]
posted by fenriq on Dec 4, 2008 - 19 answers

Compost & painted wood walls, is it a good mix? [more inside]
posted by pokeedog on Sep 30, 2008 - 10 answers

Are banana peels contagious? [more inside]
posted by non-kneebiter on Aug 26, 2008 - 10 answers

I want to start composting, but I'm clueless: what do I need to know? [more inside]
posted by davidriley on May 16, 2008 - 24 answers

What should keep my kitchen scraps in before taking them to the yard waste bin? [more inside]
posted by The corpse in the library on Feb 27, 2008 - 15 answers

My amazing awesome husband got me a composter! Yeah! Now what do I do with it? [more inside]
posted by jujube on Jan 11, 2008 - 8 answers

I want to grind up kitchen scraps such as banana peels, avocado skins and orange peels so they compost faster. I've looked around, and the closest type of grinder I can find is what is called a meat chopper or "meat grinder". Will this work for tough vegetable matter or will it break or jam? Will it take forever? [more inside]
posted by kamelhoecker on Oct 8, 2007 - 10 answers

We've got a garden. We don't have a car. Soon, the garden is going to change and produce a lot of waste vegetation (that hedge has to go, etc. etc.). So I'm looking at purchasing a garden shredder, and I realise I know nothing about this sort of thing. Is a petrol powered shredder that much better than a good electric one? Is there anything else I should know about these machines? [more inside]
posted by handee on Sep 2, 2007 - 7 answers

Why would somebody leave whole, juiced orange halves on their lawn? [more inside]
posted by slightlybewildered on Jul 16, 2007 - 15 answers

Any reason not to use mouse bedding in the compost? [more inside]
posted by Ogre Lawless on Apr 24, 2007 - 10 answers

What can I do with a couple hundred pounds of sour oranges? [more inside]
posted by Optimus Chyme on Apr 30, 2006 - 14 answers

What do I need to know before I start vermicomposting (a là Woms Eat My Garbage)? [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone on Mar 8, 2006 - 8 answers

Recommendations for composting toilets, please. [more inside]
posted by ottereroticist on Dec 9, 2005 - 3 answers

Does microbial activity in the gut of organisms contribute to their thermoregulation? [more inside]
posted by yesster on Oct 3, 2005 - 7 answers

SolidWasteFilter (oh boy!):
How to deal with compost in an urban setting. [more inside]
posted by Hackworth on Oct 25, 2004 - 12 answers

Can I put earthworms into a rotating composter? I have one of those drum kinds that sit off the ground on a rack that spin around for aeration. The spinning takes the place of the earthworm action in the traditional pile, but I've heard that you can put worms in the spinning drums as well to speed up the decompostion process.
posted by archimago on Apr 12, 2004 - 11 answers