You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
I don't know if it is considered "OK" or not, but I have added some cotton fabric scraps to my bin and they decomposed. Don't mix in the synthetics though . . . I got some in by mistake & I'm still picking them out of the completed compost. I've seen dryer lint on some lists as OK to compost . . . had not thought about fabric softener being an issue.
Standard fabric softeners use a petrochemical base, so I wouldn't advice putting them in the compost heap.
However: a cup of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda to the wash water acts as a natural deoderizer and fabric softener and would leave your dryer lint AOK. Plus it's the only thing I've found that'll get out the smell of cat pee!
I use my dryer lint in my compost bin and have done for years, I never gave a thought to fabric softeners as I dont use them, I use the drier to soften bath towels etc, I try to avoid washing soaps etc that have any harmful additives and there are more and more comming to the market that are pure rather than chemically enhanced, but that is just a personal thing for me anyway, but the softeners are a good point that Ecrane has made, I also use the the crumbs and dust from my carpet cleaner too, I cant say either of those are added by the bucket load, so have never noticed any adverse effects by either.
I have never added cotton fabric to my compost, yet I should as I do a lot of sewing for my home, but cant see it doing any harm so long as it is PURE untreated cotton, I have used pure wool cut up from old woolen clothes and this has composted down well but it takes a bit longer, when I have came across anything that has not composted down as quick as everything else, I just chuck it back into the heap for further time to compost down, I honestly add anything that has no synthetics or plastic base added to it, so discount anything man made, I never have any difficulties, I know as a child, we used to toss our old All leather shoes etc into the compost and even they disappeared after a few years or they were burried in the trench as the ground was being prepared. I guess it is all a matter of what we feel is right or not, but anything man made should be a definite no, no. good luck. WeeNel.
go ahead, the heat of the compost will breakdown any chemicls that may be in the fabric or lint. We've done it many times what doesn't decompose...throw out and don't put it in htere again.haha...remember no greasy items. I throw salad out but I first wash off dressing in hot water then chuck away.cardboard, paper, magazines, scap mail use it all.
I have a sea grape that has been potted in a smaller pot . In mid summer I planted it in a 22 quart pot . It has been kept on our porch for 2 years . My questions are , can I move it outside and plant it in the yard in Orange Park , Fl. Zone 9A ? If so what insects do I watch for ? What are some tips for feeding and watering ? Currently it is aprox 48 " high and 60" wide .
Do they typically drop heathly green leaves this time of year ?
Those who sew just end up with a lot of tiny scraps of fabric that can't be used - so why not compost rather than add to landfills? Many quilters use all cotton fabrics.
Why not put fabric scraps in compost heap? Many fabrics are blends. They may appear to be cotton when in fact they have a synthetic component which will not break down. This is really not worth arguing about, though. Small scraps are not going to make enough finished compost matter to save the planet or keep the landfills from overflowing. Conservation should be a practical matter and not a moral cause or a religion.
here's a tip from a long-time quilter. To determine if you have true 100% cotton or a blend, do the burn test. Take a small patch of the fabric outside to your patio, concrete, or sidewalk (anywhere that's safe) light it on fire. True cotton will burn away to nothing but ashes. Blends will form a small plastic ball. Depending on the percentage of the blend, the ball can be very tiny so you have to run your finger over it once it's cool enough to touch. If it's a blend you feel the plastic. Also, remember that silks, jute, hemp, linen are all natural fabrics.
