[PrincessVegGrower]

Hello all, I hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather we have been having

Our allotment now has a compost bin, we have been putting the stuff you should put on there, and so far so good.
 
   But my partner has questioned a certain 'Don't' to composting. He doesn't understand why you can't put cooked fruit and veg on a compost bin.
    He understands no meat or fish, but he doesn't understand no cooked vegetables.

His argument is 'If you can put teabags and coffee grounds on the compost, which are both cooked, why not porridge (made with water?)? Or rice? etc

Anyone know a reason why you can't? He would like a reason other than, you just can't, or it will smell, as he said it is going to smell anyway.

Grr xx

[Goosegirl]

I think it won't break down as would uncooked stuff as the protein in them would be coagulated by the heat when cooking them. Porridge and rice would be too gloopy and may also encourage rats.

[JayG]

I agree with Goosegirl; any cooked grain could attract rats or mice, although personally I can't see what's wrong with adding cooked green veg or cooked fruit to the heap (can't help wondering why you would have significant amounts of either going spare though!)

A heap free from animal protein or vegetable material attractive to rodents should be both odour- and pest-free (I have two daleks next to a patio where friends come round to eat and no-one's gone home early yet!)

[WirralWally]

. . . . . . .  .  He doesn't understand why you can't put cooked fruit and veg on a compost bin.
    . . .

I sympathise with him.
You CAN put cooked fruit and veg in your compost bin.
You can also put in breakfast cereal, grains and pulses.

All that I refrain from putting in is meat and fish remains.

[PrincessVegGrower]

Thankyou all for putting it to rest

xx

[compostqueen]

I don't put cooked food in mine as I've had a rat in there without them so gawd knows what would happen if I started putting cooked food in there

I think there are better devices for cooked food such as the Joanna or green cone.
Or the dog or the hens 

[sazmonster]

Me too - I always knock on the bin and shout "anyone in?" before I dare open the thing!

[zarazara]

I put evertything on my compost heap apart from meat. old cardboard boxes,paper,grass,peelings,cooked food. But ,it is a large heap.