[Benandbill]

I've been meaning to ask this for ages.  Is it okay to put flowers in the compost?  I mean, all I put in mine at the mo is fruit and veg peel, egg shells, tea bags, shredded paper and cardboard.  Does it mess with the soil structure or something to mix flowers and food?  Sorry if it's a daft question.

[Trillium]

Not daft at all. Provided you're not composting diseased plants, anything can go into it. I tend to leave a bit of soil around flower roots to add to the composting process. Any thick stemmed flowers could be chopped up a bit for faster composting.

[Kleftiwallah]

One point Benandbill, 

I used to put teabags into the compost untill I realised the bag just didn't rot down and I'd see them again still recogniseable wrapped round a carrot, strangling it.

I don't know if this is true to all teabags but it is for P.G. tips.  Of course, I could leave them to dry out then cut them, but toooo much of a palarva ! ! !    Cheers,   Tony.

[DD.]

I've never seen a tea bag re-emerge from my compost, are you doing it right?

Cheers, Dave. 

[Kleftiwallah]

Luverly black crumbly compost, sweet smelling but NO MORE BAGS! If you give me your address I'll collect some and post them to you!    Cheers,   Tony.

[Kristen]

I've never seen a tea bag re-emerge from my compost, are you doing it right?

I've not seen any either ... but the more I have read recently the more I assume that the bags of my favourite Tea will be being made from plastic, instead of paper, any day now ...

[DD.]

Back to loose tea, a measuring spoon & a strainer then.

[mumofstig]

and reading the tea leaves as well 

[DD.]

Or choking on them - I remember my Grandmother's!

[mumofstig]

Those were the days.......huge holes in the strainers 

Still they didn't leave a layer of dust at the bottom of the cup are t bags really filled with sweepings, I wonder?

[JayG]

A few words of tea-bag wisdom from "The Yorkshire Post" (so it must be reet!) :

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Gardeners-warned-about-composting-39plastic39.6395678.jp

[compostqueen]

So, it's Jacksons of Picadilly as the drink of choice now then 

[shokkyy]

Or coffee

[Benandbill]

Thanks Trillium.  By better half likes to spend time pottering with flowers and so we know now 

[MoreWhisky]

My Yorkshire tea bags seem to compost down ok, phew.