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Old olive oil...
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Posted by jho78 Wa, zone 6 (My Page) on Wed, Oct 28, 09 at 0:01
| I know, I know, "don't add any fats, oils or grease," but I have about 30 ounces of spoiled olive oil and I only have so many wooden-handled tools. Couldn't I add just a small amount at a time without making my pile an oily mess? Does anyone else do this? Thanks. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Old olive oil...
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- Posted by ericwi Dane County WI (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 28, 09 at 0:10
| I think it depends on how large your pile is, and how soon you intend to remove finished compost. We have a slow pile, about 6 feet in diameter, and four feet deep with shredded maple leaves. The pile will sit and do its thing until April 2010, when I will dig out the finished compost from the pit beneath the pile. I would not hesitate to add a quart of olive oil at this time, knowing that 6 months would pass before the pile was opened up. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| Or......dump the oil into a bucketful of coarse (builders') sand and mix it up. Each day when you are through using your garden tools -spades, forks, shovels, etc. - slide them in and out of the bucket a few times. This cleans them off, provides a protective coating that prevents rusting and helps to keep edges sharp. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| I add fats, oil and grease to my pile. In small quantities it does no harm. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| I've dumped a few quarts of cooking oil (not meat fat) into my warm summer compost pile and mixed it in, and the worms had at it. It disappeared like everything else. In cooler weather, like now, I'd add a pint at a time (unless you have a really large compost pile) just to keep it in balance. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| Gardengals suggestion is a very good use of that oil unless you do have a compost pile of fairly large proportions. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| I dumped about a quart of canola oil into my compost pile. It's about 3.5 feet diameter and 3 feet high. It didn't explode. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| Your compost pile will not explode if fats are added. However those fats are difficult for the bacteria to digest and adding even small amounts of fats to your compost pile can slow the digestion process down. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| Thanks, everyone! I'll probably treat my tool handles and then slowly add the rest over time. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| The oracle of 4a/5b-MI says "... even small amounts of fats to your compost pile can slow the digestion process down ... '. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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- Posted by pt03 3 Southern Manitoba (My Page) on
Sat, Oct 31, 09 at 17:38
| Well I don't know, she is pretty skinny so I don't think there is much fat on her. Lloyd |
RE: Old olive oil...
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| Maybe better yet trench compost, or as an old timer would say grab one of them shovels and dig a hole. I have done that for years put it right in the garden between rows in the growing season, or any where in the off season. Really by next spring you won't find it. It is all ready breaking down or you could use it. Something down there can eat it as part of the cycle. Curt:) |
RE: Old olive oil...
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Just an observation, Isn't Olive oil part of the 'natural oils' it is a fruit oil? I would think that the bacteria in compost piles would 'deal' with it quite well.
I believe there would be a problem with animal fats, and dairy. |
RE: Old olive oil...
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I have composted beef and pork fat in my composter. The first time I turned it, it stank. By the 2nd turn, it's all gone.
I have also thrown old yoghurt into it. I guess as long as you add that stuff to an enclosed composter, they'll all turn to compost. |
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