Weeds in the Compost Pile – Should You Worry? (article)

Should weeds go in the compost pile, especially those with seeds? This question is bound to arise in midsummer as a bumper crop of weeds hits most gardeners. Here are some thoughts on the matter but you have to make up your own mind. First of all, it would appear that weeds that have not gone to seed would all be safe to use for compost. However, the gardener needs to look at the plant itself. Chances are that an annual weed that has been uprooted and the roots allowed to dry will be dead before it hit the pile. Perennial weeds are a different sort all together. Their roots are likely to survive a long time. In appearance they will often be white and thick with moisture retentive properties,…

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You just composted WHAT?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjpVTvTCY9g Ever read a composting article about all these different things you didn't know you could compost?  There's TONS of crap you can put in your compost pile, some more relevant than others.  While I didn't include "wine or brewery waste" in my video, I did use condoms, hair balls and that annoying Sun Chips bag. My predictions: I think everything will break down within 12 weeks, except for maybe the Sun Chips bag and the condoms.  Supposedly latex takes a really long time to break down, so let's see what happens.  I think the cork will take a while too, since I didn't chop it up into smaller pieces.  Whichever sock I threw in that has a synthetic blend, I imagine there will be a skeleton left behind there,…

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Friends of the Wissahickon Install Composting Toilet Near Rex Avenue Bridge

Philadelphia—September 2010—The Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) will celebrate the opening of the second composting toilet in Fairmount Park at the WPA shelter near the Rex Avenue Bridge on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. This composting toilet is totally self- sustaining, with no need for plumbing, and electrical power supplied by solar panels. “We are excited to partner with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation on the installation of the Wissahickon Valley’s second bio-composting toilet,” says FOW Executive Director Maura McCarthy. “This is the first compost toilet entirely powered by alternative energy sources.” A survey conducted by FOW in 2006 indicated that 74% of park users wanted more bathroom facilities in the Wissahickon. These toilets are helping to meet that need and are serving…

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