Talkback: Is it OK to compost tea bags?
Just the oily rag
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The tea bags I added to my compost about 5 years ago didn't rot down. They are still around when everything else has rotted. They seem to have a very fine nylon mesh inside which I still come across 5 years later. I haven't added more recent tea bags, I open them and just add the tea to the compost.
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I've never found Waitrose or Sainsbury's tea bags " survive" composting
Yes, the bags themselves take an age to breakdown. Specially the highly processed bleached ones.
Many teabags aren't made just of paper - they also contain polypropylene
see here http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jul/02/teabags-biodegradeable
I put them on the compost heap and pick the uncomposted bits out later when I spread the compost on the veg patch.
I've never had a problem with either twinings or pg tips.
I still use Leaf Tea , but it is getting more difficult to find , the tea leaves compost ok and the cold tea left in the pot is great for watering acid loving plants
The problem with my compost ( when I used to make it ) was that too much orange peel was unhelpful
PG tips here too - all seems to compost fine
When I get t bags from my dad, (he uses PG, they dont rot down as quick as my compost) i just let them dry off a bit and rip them open.
We use loose tea now, several to choose from in Morrisons, usually use yorkshire but it can be a bit fine
Typhoo or PG all do loose tea.
Think I may have a go at your worm thingy Edd, do you make it and store it in sacks until you need it,
I do need loads by autumn though, would it work?