Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Dog Waste Causes Composting Woes

Because you asked, let’s talk about dog poop.

Hi, I’m Cher, a guest blogger for today. I am the human caregiver of two large dogs and the resident dog-lover in the office where Michelle and I both work.


It’s not a pleasant topic, but one that comes up often. What to do with all that dog poop? We are often asked whether dog feces can be added to backyard compost.


The quick and dirty answer is, no.

I hate waste and it always bothers me to throw anything away – including dog feces. But what bothers me more is the possibility of polluting ground water, spreading diseases and parasites to other dogs, and introducing harmful pathogens to my garden. These are all possibilities if dog feces are added to your backyard compost.

Your backyard compost bin/pile would need to reach certain temperatures to ensure harmful pathogens are killed, and these temperatures are difficult to obtain and maintain.

A quick Google search on “composting dog feces” will provide you with amateur advice and products to do so. I am not a scientist, and do not feel comfortable endorsing any non-scientific advice. So after my research, and careful consideration, I still say don’t do it. It's not worth the risk.

My best advice is to do your part to reduce dog feces by getting your furry friend spayed or neutered. (Fewer dogs = less poop!)



Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Making Organic Compost Infographic

Here's a handy infographic on Making Organic Compost that a reader shared with me. (Be sure to click on the link rather than the picture to view the full-size image.)


Sam is a gardening enthusiast who recently started growing a mini organic garden in his apartment. His inspiration for gardening came after looking into ways to boost his own environmental sustainability efforts. You can learn more about his gardening progress by checking out his blog, the Organic Lesson