[Christine]

Right then - here's someone who has taken composting to some lengths.

Tony The Hoe - honest it's his nickname and there's no need to take it the wrong way

So folks - what do you think of his comments?

[richyrich7]

Bit extreme

[DD.]

You can compost GENES!?

That must make the mix GM then. :shock:

[SnooziSuzi]

he must have a big heap to get things like clothes and leather handbags to rot down quickly  :o

Good on him, although I would have thought that maybe his local charity shop would have taken them off his hands rather than having to compost them.

[Salmo]

Nothing is new!!!The market gardeners in Bedfordshire used to spread SHODDY on their fields to fertilise brassicas, especially brussel sprouts. Shoddy was waste cotton from the mills.

[WirralWally]

I've never tried composting leather goods but I have, for years, composted anything that is either 100% cotton or wool.
I usually cut the items up first.
They rot down fairly quickly when mixed with other decomposable matter.

The only 'genes' likely to be in my compost are my own.
I tell everyone that I want my compo heap to be my final resting place.  

[compostqueen]

I compost my old woollies  

listen to this  

http://eclectech.co.uk/compostbin.php

[compostqueen]

jeans are cotton and will rot quite quickly. He did say thin leather  
Nothing wrong with hoover fluff if you have wool or natural carpets

[Christine]

On the subject of genes, if you've ever had to keep up with the mowing of a church yard or cemetery you will realise exactly what good and long lasting effect them old bones has. I suppose it's just another way of adding slow release dried blood, hoof and bone meal to the soil.  :mrgreen: The spelling mistake agrees exactly with my experience.

[DANNY]

Well to be honest a lot of what has been said here ref composting is true,ie vacuume contents, wool, (also makes smashing hanging basket liners) cotton "but the thiner the better" now leather shoe,s and infact leather is NOT a good item to use because of the tanning in leather can cause a reaction, and if used as compost for the veg plot could be a cause to worry about,(you might end up really ill and your sole going to heaven) sorry just couldnt resist that little pun,

Now ref the writer saying about germs being in the compost!
Compost is full of bacteria, this is what results in humus or as we call it decaying waste and in any case you should always wash your hands and get under the finger nails everytime you come in out of the garden,

One very important statement made by the writer was that he put anything that rots on his compost, this is wrong, never introduce anything in the cooked meat line that will actract RATS etc or any form of dog/cat droppings as these can contain nasty  bugs that are not good.

Wood shavings can also be a no go area due to introducing mites from the wood such as red mite,s but wood ash is a good compost additive.