hair

is human hair good to put in the compost?

yes, although I wouldn't use hair from a hairdresser because of the chemicals.

nope just my own

thank you!

hair needs long time composting to breakdown. more like 3-7 years before it composts.

I have read that it helps keep burrowing critters at bay

I seem to grow a lot of hair and my wife will occasionally hack it off, I then spread it around the animal pens in the hope it spreads my scent and keeps preditors away.

I have considered hitting up barber shops, or pet groomers, with the thought that they would use a lot fewer chemicals..

leila hamaya wrote:hair needs long time composting to breakdown. more like 3-7 years before it composts.

What's that based on Leila? I've put small amounts of hair in composts for a long time and never seen it not break down.

hey true, i could be off, i've certainly never done any experiments about it =P

but this is my understanding, based on whatever info sticks after decades of growing stuffs and reading - most people dont compost hair, bones, animal parts because they take much longer to break down than veggies, leaves branches, etc.

if they do compost them, they compost them in a long term compost, not intended to be used for years. fur and hair will eventually break down, but as i remember it from where ever i read it long ago not for like 5 years or so....

It breaks down quickly in a hot compost. I've composted dead critters. They completely disintegrate when tumbled regularly. Bones take longer, but can be recycled into the next batch.

well thats still my story and i am sticking with it, take it or leave it =)

theres nothing bad about putting hair in compost if you want, it just doesnt break down very fast. <---- in my understanding

i do lazy cold passive composting, or actually more lately i just bury half fisnished compost ish stuff, with deep mulch, under or within lasagna type gardens.... so i want stuff that compost fairly fast.

a small amount of hair wont matter much, anyway.

i shed quite a bit and have really long curly thick hair. i just throw mine outside anywhere on the ground, for the birds to find. =)

Probably depends on quantity and the animal. I've also composted small animals and no trace has been left (not even bones). That's cold composting that I might use after 6 months. I'd do that with lasagne beds too and wouldn't be too worried about it. Compost is magic, so ymmv.

Composting is EPA approved way to dispose of animal carcasses. I have never had to compost a full grown goat I have several kids. Last one was a sick kid I took home to try to save. I failed. I put kid where I plan to plant something and I dump cart of compost mix on top and I walk away. Later I till plant a tree or vine. Great.
But on hair...I love barn scrapings during shedding season!

I wish I had enough hair to make it an issue

David Livingston wrote:I wish I had enough hair to make it an issue

Just remember my philosophy, David. Skydude made a few perfect heads, the rest he covered with hair! Like you, I sport a perfect head!

We have dogs that shed so much it looks like something died in the yard whenever I comb them out on the lawn. I just toss the stuff around the garden or wherever I happen to be. Who cares if it actually composts? It makes great texture for the soil and what doesn't get integrated is always useful to the birds for nests, as Leila pointed out. And it keeps the titmice from landing on my head and yanking whole handfuls of my very long hair out -- which they do whenever I sit in the garden too long during nesting season. Seriously, it would be hilarious except it hurts!