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QUESTION: Can worms live in hot compost?

ANSWER: Everyday earthworms that make their way into your compost bin can’t survive the high temperatures compost can generate when it’s working hard, so it’s important that you not trap worms in your compost pile unless you’re using the vermicomposting method. If you have an open compost bin at the bottom, earthworms will come and go as they please and stay away from the hot areas.

Vermicomposting uses worms that are selected for their ability to thrive in compost, and vermicomposting is not a hot composting method. Vermicomposting worms will die in hot compost.

QUESTION: Can too much compost hurt plants?

ANSWER: With compost, as with fertilizer, it is possible to get too much and end up with an overabundance of nutrients in the soil, which can actually have a negative effect on plants. When you’re setting up garden beds in spaces that haven’t been cultivated before, a layer of one or two inches of compost worked down into the loosened soil is appropriate.

For beds that you’ve been working in, a thin layer of compost half an inch to one inch thick can be spread across the surface of garden soil and does not have to be worked into the soil underneath. You can also use compost on your lawn, though a lesser amount is required. Lawns can be fed with up to a quarter of an inch of compost each year.

Can pineapple be put in compost?

Pineapple won’t harm your compost, but the tough outer peel and foliage can take quite a while to break down. You can make up for this factor by chopping the peel and foliage into pieces before adding them to your compost bin.

QUESTION: Can lime be composted?

ANSWER: Lime is controversial as a compost ingredient. The USDA advises using lime to balance the pH level of compost, while some gardeners use it to reduce odors a compost pile might create. However, other experts note that the finished product of compost normally has a neutral pH balance, so for most people, lime should only be used just before applying compost and as needed to correct pH levels.

To add lime to completed compost, use a wheelbarrow with a wire screen of half an inch to one inch mesh laid over the top to sift compost into the wheelbarrow until the wheelbarrow is half full. Then add half a cup of powdered lime by sprinkling it across the surface of your compost, then stirring to combine the two fully. The compost with added lime is now ready to use.

QUESTION: Do compost bins attract rats?

ANSWER: A properly set up and managed, healthy composting system should not attract rats or other pest animals. If you’re having trouble with rodents invading your compost bin, consider the following best practices to see if you can figure out what the problem might be.

Your compost bin should have a lid that seals well enough to prevent smells from escaping. It should be heavy enough to deter the more mischievous rodents, like raccoons and opossums, from prying it open and diving into your compost.

The lid should be kept closed, except for when you’re working with the compost or have left it open for a particular reason (such as when your compost needs to dry out a bit so you leave it open on a sunny day). It’s especially important that the lid of your compost remains closed overnight, when many pest animals are most active.

Compost bins that are set up directly on top of soil should have a base, such as hardware cloth or wire mesh, that will let beneficial insects in while staving off pest animals and tree roots that might otherwise grow up through the bottom of the compost.

Make sure not to include foods that attract pests, such as meat, fish, grease, and dairy products. These foods are also notorious for causing stinky compost bins.

When you’re using foods that have a tendency to bring in pests, like eggshells or bread products, rinse them off if they’re juicy (like eggshells) before adding them to the bin, and tuck them down into the compost instead of letting them rest on the surface.

Turning your compost every few weeks helps aerate it and speed up the rate of decomposition, but it will also deter rodents, who prefer sources of food that remain undisturbed. 

If you keep a layer of “brown” materials on top of the compost pile, such as a covering of dead leaves, it will help keep rodents away. The “green” nitrogen-rich materials tend to be the ones that smell strongly and entice pests to invade the compost bin.