A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Organically Speaking... Composting potatoes

Hello all,

I recently purchased a black bin composter to be my second phase of composting. Initial phase is a large 1m square wooden box.

When I transferred my compost from box to bin, after a few weeks I noticed a lot of growth, all from bits of potato that were in the mix. These have gotten so bad, they have now been removed.

Is this good/bad? I assume that the potato will be using nutrients in the mix, so is bad? If this is the case, is there a method for composting potatoes, or should they thrown into standard refuse?

Many thanks.

i'd just grow potatoes in the compost for eating myself!

I've had that problem in the past.And I'd pull them up and toss the taters formed off in woods.Now that I have a peeler.they don't seem to that now.so maybe change the way you slice to peeling them.I guess they are thin enough to not sprout?

Daniel, I agree with both, lol. I would make a bin just for growing potatoes, and 1 or 2 for regular compost. Save a lot of money growing your own, depending on how many potatoes you eat. I tried that once, but the ants took over. Grrr.

Uni