I don't put really salty stuff in my compost pile, so it just depends on how much salt is in your pickle juice.

I thought vinegar was toxic to bacteria which would make me wonder whether the pickle juice (which has vinegar in it, right?) would kill some of the micro-critters doing their work in the compost.

Though I've heard here numerous times that the micro-critters will "keep on truckin'" no matter what you throw at them (even though they might get slowed a little now and then.)

I normally drain the juice out and add the solid stuff to the compost but I don't really know the answer to your question. So from my standpoint, it ain't such a dumb question.

I suppose it would also depend on the volume of the pile, hot/cold, etc etc.

Lloyd

P.S. Welcome to the forum.

If you add it put it in one spot preferably on the ground I think it would retard the bacteria for a bit, but I don't Know. Very good question. Think I'll do a search.

Curt :-)

Hi Linda - I'm not the expert here but I just thought I'd let you know that I do it (pour pickle juice on compost) all the time. I've never known it to be a problem.

Val

It will depend on the volume of your pile and how much juice you add at once. A small amount of pickle juice in a fairly large pile will not be a problem while a large amount of juice poured onto a a small pile could stop the digestion process. So a 64 cubic foot compost pile will be able to handle without too much trouble a quart or two of pickle juice at a time while a 27 cubic foot pile would not be able to do that.

I would do it... if you don't want to pour it down the drain, feel free to come over to my house and dump it on my pile.

You can dump it on my pile. I do.

Your first post!!

Not to deprive anybody but couldn't you throw it on the ground somewhere, on something you want to kill? Or pour it down the sink. From the point of view of the compost microherd it would be a salty acid bath. I don't see it benefiting the compost, or hurting the septic system.
Aren't you glad we're helping.

A friend of mine from HS, used to empty the juice out the pickle jars by drinking them.

IMO, if a stomach can digest it, so can my compost pile.

Q: Why is a compost pile like the human stomach?
A: It gets you thinking.

The advantage of putting it on the compost over pouring it down the sink is what I don't see. Vinegar is acid, salt is petrifying. But I don't feel that strongly about it either way.

Wow!! Almost fell off my chair when I saw all the responses. Gee Willakers! Thanks everybody.

I like the idea of killing something in my yard I don't like. I think Wisteria would be good dead. In NC it is very invasive and has taken over my property. So I'll experiment and see what happens. Don't want to kill any critters.

My other thought is too put some baking soda in the drain and pour the vinegar juice over it. But I'm thinking the vinegar is probably too diluted to clean my drain. I'll try a little and see what happens.

Well, what can I say? Thanks again. You made my day.

Too fun, lindarose