My husband is a chemical engineer in the paper chemical business. He says that the closer an end paper product was meant to be to food, the safer it is to compost. Depending on the type of paper towel you may not want to compost it. For brands like Bounty there are a lot of wet-strength chemicals in them. He says the brown bags will break down but there are a lot of chemicals that go into making them. The best carbon source is leaves. With fall approaching, I drive around and pick up the lawn/leaf bags on trash day. Also, in my neighborhood a lot of landscapers are utilized. I have been known to ask them for the leaves they are hauling away; I have never been turned down.
The problem of collecting other people's leaves is, you don't know if the tree is healthy or not. Also, you don't know of the owner treated the trees with chemicals or not. Chemicals are everywhere and I am not sure if there is a good way to avoid it.
@@lisayist lol people think too much today. Nature's been doing this for years lol I doubt if it matters if a tree is healthy it will break down just fine
During the "lawn waste collection" times of the year I go around and ask people in my town if I can take their lawn waste. This give me a HUGE collection of leaves and brown lawn clippings that I keep handy to use as a carbon source. The risk I take, however, is that I can't trust that these people are not using harmful chemicals on / around their yard.
I try to collect a ton of leaves in the fall and since they shred best when dry, here in the northwest, I'm still processing them the following summer. Other options are coconut coir, coffee bean chaff, non-treated sawdust, wood chips, etc... I tend to soak cardboard in a concrete mixing tray before using it and the glue dissolves in the water, which may remove most of the glue. That also indicates it is water based and likely safer. I also use spent brewery grains which are similar in consistency to oatmeal. I think these are mostly carbon since it has been boiled, but not 100% sure. I can tell you that worms really like it.
American cardboard glues (having done a stint in a cardboard mill ...) is shellac, rubber, or acrylic adhesives. So these are almost all synthetic, not natural, and it takes more time to break down all those compounds back into carbohydrates (C, H, O). Kraft paper, is not chlorine acid bleached white (having grown up in a paper mill making family), and retains the greatest of natural antibiotic ingredients, and the natural fibers more-naturally break down. So yes, kraft paper in any form of brown napkins, brown wrap, brown packing ocnfetti, ... are good compost. For myself, I do a spring season composting process. Clear a soil area. Lay down what chip mulch (no bark) for a layer, then store jug of ammonia (Nitrogen), pour-scatter across the chips. Then you can lay down law grass clippings (natural methane gas production, cut grass smell, and amino acids in the grass), then any kraft papers, ammonia, chips, grass, hay, straw etc etc, and layer up. Chips are known nitrogen parasites to break down into black gold soil. Nitrogen from the air, nitrogen dissolved gas in the rain, or nitrogen from the soil. So adding ammonia to the mixture mound, then cover with black plastic keeping the gasses inside, and fermenting under the summer sun, will break down the layers. In the fall, open up, turn, turn, turn, then spread across the fruit/nut orchard, vineyard, veg/herb garden, and around other landscaped house trees/shrubs. Any free nitrogen will go into the soil, and any fall and spring rains, winter snow melt will leach out and other nitrogen from the composted chips and other products into the soil. The fall application (spring growth!) not spring application (fall growth!) is the best over-wintering and fertilization process. The worms and other beneficial nematodes and bacteria will find the mound (especially for the green grass) and turn the smaller compost mixtures into worm compost. You will have various layers of different sized crumbles of compost that will break down over different times of the year, providing all-season outdoor, hot house, grow house, cold house, growing media. Good luck on your endeavors.
A cabinet/furniture maker by trade I get that brown paper as well as chip board (like poster board without the glossiness) from Costco by the arm load. I use it to draw out patterns for various furniture components. They are more than happy to give it away as they pay to have it hauled off. It's used between layers of products on pallets to keep the stack stable. I'm not sure about Sam's Club but I'd guess they would have and give away the same material. There are no dyes on any of nor any plastic coatings, just shy away from anything with a glossy side. Hope that helps.
I use cardboard before I am mulching over walkways between garden beds and in work areas. I know the glue in cardboard is made from cornstarch but haven't been able to find the other ingredients used for binding. I was able to obtain a large quantity of brown or kraft paper packing material like you show here, from an oncology clinic. Most people don't realize that oncology clinics have the chemo drugs delivered in styrofoam ice chests that are packed in cardboard boxes and often packed with brown unprinted kraft paper and then they just throw it all out daily. The chemo doesn't leach into the chest because it's well packaged, just kept cold. I don't like styrofoam myself, but it is a great insulator so I keep the cut down chest panels in a stack in case I need to insulate something. I do use the unprinted brown kraft paper in my beds. I'm not afraid of newspaper really, but I know I can buy a blank newsprint roll if I really need that much safe paper which I'm considering doing to an entire lawn for some people who have a disastrous pigweed problem. uline 48" x 1,675' newsprint roll is $80 I also make small plant starters out of brown lunch bags (kraft bags) doubled and sat in a tray. I just cut the tops down to where their about the size of a pot. I'm thinking of starting to buy brown janitorial paper towel refills to use in my home to recycle in my garden. I can get 6 rolls at 800' each for about $26. That will last us at least a year and I can recycle most of the paper in my compost or garden. Brown paper also doesn't stand out like white paper, blending in better with the environment for better aesthetics.
I have also researched and know that the worms love the glue in cardboard so I think they're good judges of safe. Also I agree with kraft paper, I want to find a place that uses a lot of kraft paper.
I use leaves. I blow them all up and stick them in my trashcan "Composter" then pull out of that all year long. I plan on picking up some pine horse bedding material as well to add a different carbon source.
In my neighborhood there doesnt seem to be a lot of leaves so I go to my town park and bag all the leaves I need . I can easily bag up 10 -12 leaf bags of leaves., best carbon out there. I dont bother with trying to mulch them either I just use them as they are as they will break down over the winter as I turn the piles. I usually go with 3' tall x 4' wide fencing pens. Then as it breaks down during winter its all in one pile, gives me what I need. If I didnt mention I like to hot compost as it gets rid of weed seed.
brown bags are a good idea! and packing paper too. What do you think about bio char? I really want to use it, but I heard someone saying it wasn't very good
hi ive found that paper in my compost tends to stick and clump....do u guys have the same problem?? or do i just have to add more paper/carbon..like is my pile just too wet?
Thank you sir. I apploud you. You don't sound like some hippydippy guy who says no to plastic bags. You sound like someone who has care for things outside his own life. It's the small things with the paper towels and just like them the plastic adds up too.
Cardboard is made from craft paper, and so are paper grocery sacks. That packing paper that you showed also looked like craft paper. In the USA, cardboard is glued together with cornstarch (a green). All of that composts pretty easily and safely.
People use those large paper yard waste bags for grass and leaves. Just drive around looking for people that set these bags out on the curb. I'm trying something new, growing beans on last years leaves to add nitrogen. It can't hurt.
Yeah I was going to say the same thing. Most people have enough natural leaf waste to use. During Autumn I have hue piles of leaves that I bag, save and put into my compost as needed. Problem solved.
I like them on hand for any number of things lite weight bags when I'm out and about or to keep my feet wet they work well with a hat as rain gear and no they should on be the only option in stores but I don't think we should get ride of them all
I know this is an older video and not sure if anybody answered in the comment section yet but for cardboard and paper I believe they use sodium silicate
I try not to use much cardboard or newspaper. Plant material is what I use mostly now. You just never know what they use in paper and cardboard anymore.
No, the carbon is nearly all converted to carbon dioxide in combustion (this is what creates the heat). Wood ash is comprised of substances that don't convert to gases in combustion or heating. Wood ash is a good source of Potassium, which is important to plants.
I pick up leaves from my neighborhood. I pick piles that are strictly from their trees and not mixed in with manicured grass clippings. No sprays on oak, maple and etc. tress.
I watched a great video where the guy pointed out a great carbon source is the shavings for horse bedding dead trees that landscapers cut up soot from fireplace
@@Lala-up8jd I wouldn't use it exclusively. Ash produces lye and salts and in my opinion may hinder microbial activity. Don't have any hard data on it, but I just don't use it as a main ingredient. Variety is the key
Soy based newspapers are good to go IMO. Cardboard as well. Most of my cardboard comes in the form of a box. That box typically needs ripped up or maybe even shredded before use. When ripping into manageable pieces, I simply toss the glue, label, plastic, etc pieces into recycling/trash/burn pile. It takes no extra time since I am already breaking the box down.
Haha, "Sure it is". Please don't forget, what kind of tomato variety do you think might be good to try for someone who has never liked tomatoes. Thanks.
I have been using my barrel composters a lot lately. I now have rabbits and have been putting all their droppings in the barrels. I also get a lot of hay and grass in the barrel too. It doesn't seem to be breaking down. Just becomes a big lump that sticks to the side and makes it hard to turn the barrel. Would adding the carbon help it out. I really am new to these composting barrels.
My husband is a chemical engineer in the paper chemical business. He says that the closer an end paper product was meant to be to food, the safer it is to compost. Depending on the type of paper towel you may not want to compost it. For brands like Bounty there are a lot of wet-strength chemicals in them. He says the brown bags will break down but there are a lot of chemicals that go into making them. The best carbon source is leaves. With fall approaching, I drive around and pick up the lawn/leaf bags on trash day. Also, in my neighborhood a lot of landscapers are utilized. I have been known to ask them for the leaves they are hauling away; I have never been turned down.
The problem of collecting other people's leaves is, you don't know if the tree is healthy or not. Also, you don't know of the owner treated the trees with chemicals or not. Chemicals are everywhere and I am not sure if there is a good way to avoid it.
@@lisayist lol people think too much today. Nature's been doing this for years lol I doubt if it matters if a tree is healthy it will break down just fine
How to do you store leaves over winter for composting in the spring?
During the "lawn waste collection" times of the year I go around and ask people in my town if I can take their lawn waste. This give me a HUGE collection of leaves and brown lawn clippings that I keep handy to use as a carbon source. The risk I take, however, is that I can't trust that these people are not using harmful chemicals on / around their yard.
+Cleavage&Crops That is my concern also.
Bang on about the paper towels. I keep a container in my kitchen where we put all of the used paper towels into to save for compost.
Hi , I leave some of the paper and cardboard outside in the rain to weather and then use it so , that seems to do the trick.
+Richard Bushy Good idea
Lol. Me too. Makes life much easier!
I try to collect a ton of leaves in the fall and since they shred best when dry, here in the northwest, I'm still processing them the following summer. Other options are coconut coir, coffee bean chaff, non-treated sawdust, wood chips, etc... I tend to soak cardboard in a concrete mixing tray before using it and the glue dissolves in the water, which may remove most of the glue. That also indicates it is water based and likely safer. I also use spent brewery grains which are similar in consistency to oatmeal. I think these are mostly carbon since it has been boiled, but not 100% sure. I can tell you that worms really like it.
My Worm bin uses a lot of Cardboard and my worms are thriving. No fear of Cardboard. And it’s plentiful. And free.
American cardboard glues (having done a stint in a cardboard mill ...) is shellac, rubber, or acrylic adhesives. So these are almost all synthetic, not natural, and it takes more time to break down all those compounds back into carbohydrates (C, H, O).
Kraft paper, is not chlorine acid bleached white (having grown up in a paper mill making family), and retains the greatest of natural antibiotic ingredients, and the natural fibers more-naturally break down. So yes, kraft paper in any form of brown napkins, brown wrap, brown packing ocnfetti, ... are good compost.
For myself, I do a spring season composting process. Clear a soil area. Lay down what chip mulch (no bark) for a layer, then store jug of ammonia (Nitrogen), pour-scatter across the chips. Then you can lay down law grass clippings (natural methane gas production, cut grass smell, and amino acids in the grass), then any kraft papers, ammonia, chips, grass, hay, straw etc etc, and layer up. Chips are known nitrogen parasites to break down into black gold soil. Nitrogen from the air, nitrogen dissolved gas in the rain, or nitrogen from the soil. So adding ammonia to the mixture mound, then cover with black plastic keeping the gasses inside, and fermenting under the summer sun, will break down the layers. In the fall, open up, turn, turn, turn, then spread across the fruit/nut orchard, vineyard, veg/herb garden, and around other landscaped house trees/shrubs. Any free nitrogen will go into the soil, and any fall and spring rains, winter snow melt will leach out and other nitrogen from the composted chips and other products into the soil. The fall application (spring growth!) not spring application (fall growth!) is the best over-wintering and fertilization process. The worms and other beneficial nematodes and bacteria will find the mound (especially for the green grass) and turn the smaller compost mixtures into worm compost. You will have various layers of different sized crumbles of compost that will break down over different times of the year, providing all-season outdoor, hot house, grow house, cold house, growing media. Good luck on your endeavors.
+John Lord Thanks for all the great info.
Paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls. I cut them up, but you could cut them so they fit in a paper shredder.
Dried corn husk.
Paper Egg cartons.
A cabinet/furniture maker by trade I get that brown paper as well as chip board (like poster board without the glossiness) from Costco by the arm load. I use it to draw out patterns for various furniture components. They are more than happy to give it away as they pay to have it hauled off. It's used between layers of products on pallets to keep the stack stable. I'm not sure about Sam's Club but I'd guess they would have and give away the same material. There are no dyes on any of nor any plastic coatings, just shy away from anything with a glossy side.
Hope that helps.
I use cardboard before I am mulching over walkways between garden beds and in work areas. I know the glue in cardboard is made from cornstarch but haven't been able to find the other ingredients used for binding. I was able to obtain a large quantity of brown or kraft paper packing material like you show here, from an oncology clinic. Most people don't realize that oncology clinics have the chemo drugs delivered in styrofoam ice chests that are packed in cardboard boxes and often packed with brown unprinted kraft paper and then they just throw it all out daily. The chemo doesn't leach into the chest because it's well packaged, just kept cold. I don't like styrofoam myself, but it is a great insulator so I keep the cut down chest panels in a stack in case I need to insulate something. I do use the unprinted brown kraft paper in my beds. I'm not afraid of newspaper really, but I know I can buy a blank newsprint roll if I really need that much safe paper which I'm considering doing to an entire lawn for some people who have a disastrous pigweed problem.
uline 48" x 1,675' newsprint roll is $80
I also make small plant starters out of brown lunch bags (kraft bags) doubled and sat in a tray. I just cut the tops down to where their about the size of a pot. I'm thinking of starting to buy brown janitorial paper towel refills to use in my home to recycle in my garden. I can get 6 rolls at 800' each for about $26. That will last us at least a year and I can recycle most of the paper in my compost or garden. Brown paper also doesn't stand out like white paper, blending in better with the environment for better aesthetics.
I have also researched and know that the worms love the glue in cardboard so I think they're good judges of safe. Also I agree with kraft paper, I want to find a place that uses a lot of kraft paper.
I use leaves. I blow them all up and stick them in my trashcan "Composter" then pull out of that all year long. I plan on picking up some pine horse bedding material as well to add a different carbon source.
+Scott Hayden That bedding works great.
the rolls from the paper towels, toilet tissues, etc. those are good...also shredded or munched leaves. excellent source.
+Mrs AK910 Good idea
Lol...it was supposed to say mulched!
In my neighborhood there doesnt seem to be a lot of leaves so I go to my town park and bag all the leaves I need . I can easily bag up 10 -12 leaf bags of leaves., best carbon out there. I dont bother with trying to mulch them either I just use them as they are as they will break down over the winter as I turn the piles. I usually go with 3' tall x 4' wide fencing pens. Then as it breaks down during winter its all in one pile, gives me what I need. If I didnt mention I like to hot compost as it gets rid of weed seed.
Can straw be used as a carbon source? I have seen this recommended in several videos.
Yes. But for example, if it's wheat straw and the wheat field was sprayed with herbicides- there may be residue in the straw.
Thanks for your reply.
brown bags are a good idea! and packing paper too. What do you think about bio char? I really want to use it, but I heard someone saying it wasn't very good
+hagenoft I don't use it, I'm not convinced it lives up to the hype.
Good tip about paper towels, TFS
hi ive found that paper in my compost tends to stick and clump....do u guys have the same problem?? or do i just have to add more paper/carbon..like is my pile just too wet?
Yeah, if it's too wet it can do that. The problem with leaves that are too wet.
I live in ct we have more fallen leaves than we can ever handle and could supply new york city w carbon
Thank you sir. I apploud you.
You don't sound like some hippydippy guy who says no to plastic bags. You sound like someone who has care for things outside his own life.
It's the small things with the paper towels and just like them the plastic adds up too.
Cardboard is made from craft paper, and so are paper grocery sacks. That packing paper that you showed also looked like craft paper. In the USA, cardboard is glued together with cornstarch (a green). All of that composts pretty easily and safely.
Can I add old notebook papers ?
People use those large paper yard waste bags for grass and leaves. Just drive around looking for people that set these bags out on the curb. I'm trying something new, growing beans on last years leaves to add nitrogen. It can't hurt.
+Joe Schmoe Worth a shot
I raid the local recycling center and the streets when the recycling goes out, also I stock up on autumn leaves.
+Laura Te Aho-White That's a good plan
Yeah I was going to say the same thing. Most people have enough natural leaf waste to use. During Autumn I have hue piles of leaves that I bag, save and put into my compost as needed. Problem solved.
My city offers free wood chips and used straw bales. As much as I want. Even if a city doesn't have a formal program, it is worth calling them to ask.
Good idea
great idea!
yo man, i am stuck with this question: are fresh leaves nitrogen and old brown dried leaves carbon?
Yes.
If they fall off the tree brown, they're a brown. If you pluck the leaves off the tree and let it dry, they're a green.
That just doesn't make sense!??
I like them on hand for any number of things lite weight bags when I'm out and about or to keep my feet wet they work well with a hat as rain gear and no they should on be the only option in stores but I don't think we should get ride of them all
I know this is an older video and not sure if anybody answered in the comment section yet but for cardboard and paper I believe they use sodium silicate
I try not to use much cardboard or newspaper. Plant material is what I use mostly now. You just never know what they use in paper and cardboard anymore.
In a previous Q&A video, you talked about mulching, you said to stay away from bark. Why don't you view bark as a good covering?
+High Desert Garden (Phillip) I answered it in the weekend q&a. Uploading it as we speak.
cardboard uses cornstarch glue which is biodegradable so it is safe
Thanks
What about shredded paper?
The works well if it's not color printed
Still not enough carbon for me. What about leaves?
Leaves are great if you can get them
I have no idea what I’m talking about but isn’t the ash from a fireplace carbon
No, the carbon is nearly all converted to carbon dioxide in combustion (this is what creates the heat). Wood ash is comprised of substances that don't convert to gases in combustion or heating. Wood ash is a good source of Potassium, which is important to plants.
I pick up leaves from my neighborhood. I pick piles that are strictly from their trees and not mixed in with manicured grass clippings. No sprays on oak, maple and etc. tress.
👍
What about sawdust?
They may work a bit, but there are not many nutrients without the leaves and branches
I watched a great video where the guy pointed out a great carbon source is the shavings for horse bedding dead trees that landscapers cut up soot from fireplace
how about wood ash?
Yep, good stuff
Grow Your Heirlooms so I can use it for carbon instead of paper?
@@Lala-up8jd I wouldn't use it exclusively. Ash produces lye and salts and in my opinion may hinder microbial activity. Don't have any hard data on it, but I just don't use it as a main ingredient. Variety is the key
Soy based newspapers are good to go IMO. Cardboard as well. Most of my cardboard comes in the form of a box. That box typically needs ripped up or maybe even shredded before use. When ripping into manageable pieces, I simply toss the glue, label, plastic, etc pieces into recycling/trash/burn pile. It takes no extra time since I am already breaking the box down.
Caustic soda is used to make boxes.
I am composting sawdust as I can't get lots of dried leaves in the city to compost
That works. As long as none is treated.
Haha, "Sure it is".
Please don't forget, what kind of tomato variety do you think might be good to try for someone who has never liked tomatoes.
Thanks.
And what type of meat do you recommend for a vegetarian?
My family eats out at fast food alot, we always end up with a lot of napkins. I use that in my compost bin.
Good video...thanks :0
My tree is oak trees they said it’s not good for compost that’s why I have hard time to find leaves 🍁 😆 palm trees 🌴 also useless 😓
I hate to be a party pooper, but aren't paper towels bleached?
if it's white it is
Grow Your Heirlooms
Yeah that's what I was afraid of
Feed bags from feed stores
I have been using my barrel composters a lot lately. I now have rabbits and have been putting all their droppings in the barrels. I also get a lot of hay and grass in the barrel too. It doesn't seem to be breaking down. Just becomes a big lump that sticks to the side and makes it hard to turn the barrel. Would adding the carbon help it out. I really am new to these composting barrels.
+Buckrun11 Ye, I think it needs more carbon. Especially if you haven't added any water to it. It may need to be turned more frequently also.
Paper towels have bleach in them
I also don’t compost paper towels ... to many additives . www.nontoxicliving.tips/blog/let-natural-cloth-wipe-away-paper-towel-waste
I just made a compost with 70% cardboards in it....
Better than the land fill
pencil sharpener waste its very hi carbon
HAHA can't argue with that
Plastic bags are in my trees.