Search...
Home Subscribe
Pie
Home Subscribe
Recent topics Flagged topics Hot topics Best topics
Search...
Search within composting Search permies
Advance search Google search
Register / Login
Gardening playing cards kickstarter thread boost permaculture playing cards Green Living Book Free heat movie and plans
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
Gardening playing cards kickstarter Free heat movie permaculture playing cards Full online Permaculture Design course and Appropriate Technology Course video SKIP=SKills to Inherit Property PEP Permaculture Experience According to Paul Woodworking
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Devaka Cooray
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Nancy Reading
  • Timothy Norton
  • r ranson
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
  • paul wheaton
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • M Ljin
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Eino Kenttä
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Can I compost Holly?

 
Jennifer Lowery
Posts: 153
30
posted 6 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
We have a huge holly bush that is grown almost into a tree size.  We want to trim back most of it.  It has the sharp pointy leaves and loaded with green berries (so this is how I identified it was Holly).  Is it ok to trim off the small twigs, leaves and berries and throw them in compost pile?   Reason I ask is I know the berries are poisonous.
 
Daniel Ray
gardener
Posts: 507
Location: Victor, Montana; Zone 5b
231
I like...
hugelkultur forest garden composting toilet building rocket stoves
posted 6 years ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Yes, feel free to put them in the pile, they will not cause any issues. Other poisonous organic material is often composted--potato leaves, rhubarb leaves, nightshade weeds, etc. it will all break down in the decomposition process.

http://www.spiritwoodnaturalbuilding.com

 
Skandi Rogers
pollinator
Posts: 2339
Location: Denmark 57N
601
I like...
fungi foraging trees cooking food preservation
posted 6 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm not sure the leaves are actually poisonous anyway, in the New Forest in England the commoners cut holly trees in the winter so the horses can eat the top leaves (which are not prickly). I will say though that they take an age to rot, it might be a good idea to put them through the lawnmower first.
 
Jennifer Lowery
Posts: 153
30
posted 6 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Skandi Rogers wrote:I'm not sure the leaves are actually poisonous anyway, in the New Forest in England the commoners cut holly trees in the winter so the horses can eat the top leaves (which are not prickly). I will say though that they take an age to rot, it might be a good idea to put them through the lawnmower first.



Yeah I'll lawnmower over the leaves and small twigs.  Mower good to go over say 1/4" diameter twigs?  It's a standard residential mower.  I do know the berries are poisoinous and the twigs are LOADED with them right now.  Green.
 
Marco Banks
gardener
Posts: 1774
Location: Los Angeles, CA
571
I like...
hugelkultur forest garden books urban chicken food preservation
posted 6 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I don't see why not.

Any toxicity wouldn't come into contact with food, would it?  Once the compost breaks down, I would imagine that any toxins would also break down.

"The rule of no realm is mine.  But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care.  And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come.  For I too am a steward.  Did you not know?"    Gandolf

 
Bryant RedHawk
gardener
Posts: 6829
Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5
1696
I like...
hugelkultur dog forest garden duck fish fungi hunting books chicken writing homestead
posted 6 years ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
All hollies produce a berry that sustains several species of birds during the harsh winter.
Although holly berries aren't poisonous to birds, they are toxic to humans.
As long as you aren't eating the berries, you should be fine.
The toxic compounds are broken down in two stages, the heating stage of a compost heap starts the process then when the heap cools the fungi will come to life and take care of the rest of the breaking down of the holly berry toxin.

Redhawk

List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.

 
The only thing that kept the leeches off of me was this tiny ad:
The new gardening playing cards kickstarter is now live!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards
reply
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
Boost this thread!
Similar Threads
More...