Newspaper, Compost?

[Molly Gene]

Can I put newspaper in my compost? I always thought that I shouldn't, but a friend recently told me that they do. Thoughts?

 

[splinx]

Can I put newspaper in my compost?

Yes.

Thoughts?

Newspaper is safe to compost, but it breaks down quite slowly because of its high lignin content. (Lignin is a substance found in the woody cell walls of plants, and it is highly resistant to decomposition).

Most newspapers today use water or soy-based inks. Although these may contain small amounts of toxic compounds, the trace levels are not of significant toxicological concern. Some caution should still be used with glossy magazines, which sometimes use heavy metal based inks to produce vivid colors.

 

[Pat]

I have put newspaper and cardboard in my soil to help the compost with more natural materials along with banana peels and coffee grinds.

 

[Chuck]

Can I put newspaper in my compost? I always thought that I shouldn't, but a friend recently told me that they do. Thoughts?

Regular newspaper is fine but the slick colored paper is not.

 

[Durgan]

My compost is pure dead or semi dead vegetation only.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BNBCF 30 August 2011 Practical Composting
There is too much misleading information written about home gardening composting, which has more to do with selling silly containers than practical composting.

Composting is a simple process. If the garden is any reasonable size there is a fair amount of vegetation that must be removed each year, and disposed of in some manner. It takes a large amount of vegetation to make any reasonable amount of compost. I get probably less then four cubic yards of compost from about 0.4 of an acre of home garden vegetation.

The main process is to chop all vegetation into small chunks. I use a chipper/shredder but a block and a machete can be used. It is just a matter of expenditure of labor. The larger the chunks the longer the composting takes. Layering is nonsense, since often the suggested material is simply not available. It is totally impracticable. I never put materiel, which is attractive to insects, and rodents in the compost pile. The kitchen waste goes in the garbage.

Leaves are special case and I never compost them, since they are too much trouble for the amount of material obtained. Leaves are better centrally composed where the pile can be manipulated using machinery. Grass clippings are always welcome and do compost well. I get a neighbor’s grass clipping, since mine are left where they are cut.

I build as lattice container system using metal fence posts and plastic ties. It is readily accessible. The pile is rototilled when it is considered appropriate. It takes about eight months to get good compost using my simple non-intrusive method. I have a tarp to cover the pile if there is periods of too much rainfall.

The compost produced if insufficient for my needs, and each year I pick up about ten yards from the City each Spring.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VQCHQ 14 April 2011 Compost from 2009
The compost material from 2009 was mixed using the rototiller. This material will be spread as required. The containing structure was rotting, so it will be replaced after removing the compost pile. A rubber sheet is placed on top of the pile to limit moisture from rainfall. The material from a yard of about 0.4 of an acre only produces about 3 cubic yards of compost. The quality is reasonable. All vegetative material is put through a chipper/shredder to reduce in size. This aids the composting process.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AKMED 5 June 2012 Mixing Compost Pile.
Two cubic yards of compost produced (2011/2012) was mixed for placing on the garden in the Fall. This is the vegetative material from my yard, plus grass clippings from two other properties. The bin was mixed and moved with the rototillers.The new pile was covered with a heavy rubber sheet to prevent getting too wet. All the plants are shredded in the chipper/shredder. No large pieces are placed in the bin.A new bin for 2012 vegetative material was prepared.

 

[Corzhens]

From what I know, old newspaper is a good feeding material for the earthworms that creates the compost. The old newspapers that are wet are eaten by the earthworms which in turn release vermicompost, the refuse of the worms. That is also good for mixing in soil as an added medium although the fertility is not as potent as the compost.

 

[atlmom5]

I think people worry about the ink from newspaper, but I've never had a problem with newspaper in my compost. I also use newspaper in my garden to cut down on weeds.

 

[Rrrrraine]

I have a compost pile but I am having second thoughts about adding newspaper in it because of the ink. But since you guys never encountered any problem, might as well put them in my compost, too

 

[marlingardener]

Newspaper ink is now soy based, not chemical based, so it is safe for compost piles as long as you do not use the slick advertisement inserts. I tear ours in strips and then throw grass clippings or some other material on the strips to keep them from blowing all over the place.

 

[headfullofbees]

Newspaper is great; high in cellulose, and as Corzhens says, worms love it, as they do leaves, for the same reason.
That is why, although leaves do rot down to very little, I put as many as I can into my compost, as their attraction to worms is such that their inclusion can turn good compost into great, and this is especially beneficial for compost tea.

 

[Vinaya]

The best way to manage newspaper waste is by letting it rot in the compost pit or compost bin. Since most paper is an organic waste it makes good compost. If you are not selling newspaper to the recycle (where you can actually make money, it is good idea to make compost instead of throwing away.

 

[Atrea]

When I was young, using newspaper as compost was not a good idea because the inks were toxic. Fortunately the new inks are generally safe, so I use newspaper all the time now. I currently have a large patch in my back yard covered with it. It will become a squash garden later in the spring. However, my favorite paper-based mulch is still plain cardboard, because it seems to be a little more efficient at killing weeds.

 

[kaileebee93]

The worms love my compost and I put newspapers and cardboard in with it! Just definitely takes a lot longer to break down, even with a ton of moisture.

 

[kgord]

I think coffee grounds is good to put in your compost. This would be especially if you have acid loving plants. I remember my grandmother with the green thumb would put lots of things in her compost, eggshells, potato peelings and all kinds of things. She could grow anything too. I have no clue how long it took to break down all the vegetable matter though.

 

[MaryMary]

Can I put newspaper in my compost? I always thought that I shouldn't, but a friend recently told me that they do. Thoughts?

I make what I call "worm feeding stations," to encourage the worms to stay in my garden. I save my kitchen waste for a week, and run it through a blender I bought at a yard sale for this specific purpose. (My boyfriend had a fit the first time I wanted to use the "margarita blender" for week-old veggies! Him = ... Me = )

I then take my garden trowel, dig out a small "plug" of dirt, put shredded newspaper (loosely) in the bottom, pour the scraps on top, let it soak in a couple minutes, and cover it with dirt. I usually do this in the rows, but sometimes will put it between plants, if spacing allows.

The worms must like the veggie flavored newspaper, it's never there the next time I dig!

Just remember, no onions, no citrus, no meat, grease, or salt!