Can you compost flowers? There are many reasons to compost flowers, but some are more effective than others. In addition to the environmental benefits, composting flowers will help the bees.
Here are a few tips to make your composting experience successful. Activators are important in composting, so be sure to include them in your process. Avoid composting pesticide-sprayed flowers.
Activators help break down the materials in flower waste, making it easier to turn into compost.
Exemptions from composting flowers
Some plants cannot be composted. Their parts take too long to decompose or contain substances that can harm the soil. For instance, some flowers should not be composted because they may contain disease or pesticides and could spread to other plants.
Other examples are thorny rose stems and bulbs. Certain plants, including many poisonous ones, should never be composted. Bulbs, corms, and tubers also take a long time to decompose.
However, most flowers can be composted. Whether you compost fresh or dried flowers is largely up to your personal taste. Fresh flowers are generally considered green compost materials.
Dried flowers, on the other hand, should be composted as brown material. Other types of floral waste, however, may be difficult to decompose or contain poisonous substances.
Exemptions from composting flowers include flowers from a florist, scented products, and artificial sprays.
Activators are essential for making compost
Activators are substances that speed up the decomposing process by introducing nutrients and beneficial organisms into the pile. Compost piles should have a ratio of 15 parts carbon to one part nitrogen.
While compost activators are often used, they are not necessary. Compost materials with a high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio will need more nitrogen. To improve the pH balance of your compost pile, you may consider aerating the system.
Some commercial compost activators contain microbes and are commonly sold as "compost inoculants." These compounds contain beneficial bacteria, fungi, and enzymes that speed up the decomposition process.
Activators also increase the temperature of your composting material. They are an excellent choice for composting flowers. But there are a few things to keep in mind. Activators are not necessary for every compost pile.
Avoiding pesticide-sprayed flowers
When you're composting, it's important to avoid adding plants sprayed with pesticides. While many flowers are edible, others are not. Rose stems should not be composted, and corms and bulbs need two years to decompose.
Avoid adding thorny flower stems or flower pots. These flowers may contain poisonous compounds that are difficult to remove from compost.
Some pesticides can be broken down into harmless chemicals once they're in the compost pile. Several composting processes work to reduce the concentration of these toxins.
Leaching and volatilization move pesticides from the compost pile and into the air. In the meantime, others are assimilated into the humus and become part of the humus, the soil's organic matter.
Benefits to bees
Honey bees are one of nature's most valuable pollinators. They land on flowers, nibble on pollen and then move on to another plant. After pollination, the pollen is transferred to the female reproductive part of the flower, called the stamen.
In this way, seeds are produced and new life is born. By composting flowers for bees, you're helping your flowers thrive and pollinators thrive.
Honey bees pollinate 80 percent of plants, including over 130 types of fruits and vegetables. The sweet nectar from these plants contains a wealth of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
In fact, honey is one of the oldest antibiotics. Beeswax, another product of the honey bee, is the second most valuable. It has been used for centuries in the trading market and is currently used in pharmaceuticals.
Health benefits to earthworms
Earthworms are beneficial to the environment because they help aerate soil. Their burrowing and tunneling activity are beneficial for various soil types.
The most common kinds of earthworms live in the top 12 inches of soil, and they create random pathways as they feed. While deep-burrowing earthworms live in the deeper layers, creating semi-permanent burrows, they are more beneficial to the top soil and are important in areas where soil is overworked.
When you compost flowers for earthworms, you're providing them with a rich source of organic matter. Earthworms eat organic matter, including dead plants, and can produce up to one pound of casts per day.
This organic matter can be beneficial to plants, which need water and air to grow and survive. In addition to removing harmful toxins, earthworms also improve the soil.
Conclusion
It is important to know what kind of flowers you want to compost. In addition to the environmental benefits, composting flowers will help the bees.
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