How Does Your Garden Grow?

[richie00boy]

I would recommend ripping teabags open and discarding the bag, compost only the leaves.

A few years ago, I sifted through the growing boxes/compost bins that the previous owner of our house had been using. I'd guess that the contents would have been 2-5 years old. I found lots of teabag casings and eggshells. So these don't rot down at all.

 

[Greeves246]

I noticed tea bags were still pretty much in one piece in the compost bin when I emptied it to mix it up. Don’t put them in now, same with eggshells.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

To be honest I've stuck with just buying bags of compost and I also add the dried manure pellets...that's about it. I don't do composting...lot of work plus I don't have the room on my plot.

 

[Onoff]

Now eggshells cause major arguments here. For SWMBO it's a no no and she bins them for the dustmen to take. I'm in the "my old man always used to so I will" camp.

They add calcium etc and reduce soil acidity as I understand.

I think we're at that age when it's time for his 'n her's compost bins!

I was veering towards if the Tesco tea bags say they're made from plant based material they were going in but decided to dig deeper on the subject. Seems the plant based material could be good old PLA, certainly in the Sainsbury's ones anyway. Yes it's theoretically compostable as in industrially compostable setting (extreme heat and pressure I believe). Not necessarily so at home though.

Tesco's seems OK vs Sainsbury's but still not 100% clear. Maybe I'll email them and ask...

The Teabags Without Plastic In The UK In 2024

Ditch the microplastics and find out the teabags without plastic that you can buy in the UK in 2023, as we show you the plastic-free brands.

moralfibres.co.uk

&

The Ultimate Guide to Plastic Free Tea Bags UK

Which tea bags do not contain plastic? We look at why there is plastic in tea bags and the best plastic free tea bags to buy in the UK.

www.zerowasted.co.uk

 

[DanZac]

There seems to be quite a few things around that are compostable industrialy that aren't at home (unless you leave them for 10,000 years).

Like you I'd be interested to see what the suppliers say if you ask then.

 

[Onoff]

It's this stuff...I've found it lasts very well.

View attachment 477346

Thanks. I was thinking black though. To absorb some of this weak winter sunshine, heat the ground a bit and speed up the composting.

 

[Onoff]

There seems to be quite a few things around that are compostable industrialy that aren't at home (unless you leave them for 10,000 years).

Like you I'd be interested to see what the suppliers say if you ask then.

I can't seem to find a contact email for Tesco just an 0800 number. I'll look later, off to deepen the bean trench in the balmy 4⁰C here

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Thanks. I was thinking black though.

This is the stuff I know lasts...if you get in black then I reckon find stuff with a similar weight. The cheap stuff lasts just 1 season I find!

 

[Onoff]

Who'd have thought slinging rotten vegetables in a trench could be so therapeutic!

https://flic.kr/p/2qBsuso

 

[addjunkie]

Who'd have thought slinging rotten vegetables in a trench could be so therapeutic!

https://flic.kr/p/2qBsuso

Put a layer of alpaca poo in there….your veggies will excell

 

[Greeves246]

OnOff. “said
I was veering towards if the Tesco tea bags say they're made from plant based material they were going in but decided to dig deeper on the subject. Seems the plant based material could be good old PLA, certainly in the Sainsbury's ones anyway. Yes it's theoretically compostable as in industrially compostable setting (extreme heat and pressure I believe). Not necessarily so at home though.”
Sorry, I only use Yorkshire Gold teabags. I think they use barbed wire.

 

[Onoff]

Just when you think life can't get any better you find compostmagazine.com!

Are Yorkshire Tea Bags Compostable? Only Under Ideal Conditions!

Find out the conditions you need to compost Yorkshire Tea Bags, and the best way to incorporate them into your compost heap.

www.compostmagazine.com

 

[richie00boy]

Now eggshells cause major arguments here. For SWMBO it's a no no and she bins them for the dustmen to take. I'm in the "my old man always used to so I will" camp.

They add calcium etc and reduce soil acidity as I understand.

They do if you grind the (washed) eggshells down in a pestle and mortar, and sprinkle this around the compost. Just throwing cracked eggshells in is pretty much a waste of time and just creates an annoyance in the soil.

 

[Slowcoach]

I don’t think there are any tea bags that will compost at home. As said they may on a commercial scale but they are huge and get re mixed regularly. Why take the risk on tea bags, save picking out bits later and some bits you may miss. The only drawback is it looks like less being added to the bin when debagged.
Isn’t it a 60/40 split between carbon and nitrogen for compost.

 

[Onoff]

Isn’t it a 60/40 split between carbon and nitrogen for compost.

I think the old gardeners would add "their own" nitrates

 

[Slowcoach]

I think the old gardeners would add "their own" nitrates

The need can get arrive quite suddenly as you get older and saves taking off muddy boots if you have to go inside

 

[Greeves246]

I think the old gardeners would add "their own" nitrates

Not sure my neighbours would appreciate me standing on a ladder to get it into my compost bin.

 

[DAPPH]

Thinking a shallow base of cardboard in my 18" deep, 8" wide bean trench might be OK though? Read somewhere suggesting it. Guess it's meant to form a spongy, water retaining layer.

Careful with corrugated carboard it often contans a fungicide that will slow down th moulds decelopijng snd breaking down the paper into humus ... an esssential thing your plants need.
Modern news paper is better for there are no heavy metals or fungicides in it .

Wrt Tea bags , the tea is compostable but the porous plastic bag it's in takes ages .....

Can you compost tea bags? - Which? News​

Oct 25, 2022 · Which tea bags can go in food waste or garden waste bins? Most companies have either moved or are moving to using a plant-based plastic called polylactic acid (PLA). Although tea bags using this type of plastic will eventually break down when composted at home, it can take a long time.

 

[DAPPH]

I noticed tea bags were still pretty much in one piece in the compost bin when I emptied it to mix it up. Don’t put them in now, same with eggshells.

Crush the eggs shells , worms like to lay their eggs on the inner bits.
Acids in the soil will eventually break the shells down to provide lime which helps release soil nutrients up to the plants fine hair root system via humus

 

[DAPPH]

I can't seem to find a contact email for Tesco just an 0800 number. I'll look later, off to deepen the bean trench in the balmy 4⁰C here

A bit of Crimbo reading " 15 day hot composting " from Cornel university extension USA in their site there they have very very comprehensive lists of compostable brown & green matter and suggest th best ratio to use when doing the 15 day hot composting method . Due to increasing disabilities I had to give up turning the compost heaps by hand several years ago .

I used my electric Rota Tiller with the spring tine lawn aerator / dethatching tines on it ..

Had to wear full overalls , wellies, goggles and a balaclava , plus gloves as I got covered in dung and veg matter each time I turned the heaps but it was so well aeriated it composted in record time , reaching 138 oF in the middle of the rebuilt heaps on day two ( IIRC) I only needed to turn the heaps three times & got an excellent weed free compost ..

Tip
Whatever your do do not add new /fresh matter /materials to the heap you are composting as it lengthens the rotting down time to eternity .

I managed several 54 inch long runner beans from the hot pot holes I made with it .