what can I put in compost

Please help- I have never used a composter before and so am not sure what I can put in it. I think that I need to separate very green stuff with cardboard or similar to stop it going slimy.

Is it ok to put pruning from fuschia, roses, clematis?

I'm sure it's ok to put bits I cut back from perennials.

Some pelargoniums I tries to overwinter died and had whitish dust on them, can these be included?

What about weeds from cracks in paving including grass?

Finally what about moss growing on the top of pots and down the side of the house?

In the compost you can put any greens and tea bags,coffee,weeds(after drowning in bucket of water)any green stuff,grass,straw,hay,sticks (must be chopped up) anything really cardboard,newspaper.do not put sawdust or fresh chopped bark in as it needs to be in a separate bin for about a year before you use ,leaves collected in autumn should be put in separate pile or bag (kept damp for a year) the thing to avoid is cooked food or meat  as this

Hi Bev,  Rather than separate, you want to mix things up well.  Ideally, about 80% dry stuff to 20% soft green matter.  Turn the whole lot regularly and in about 3 months you will have some good stuff!  Any of the things you mention are fine, but avoid perennial weed roots (eg dandelion) and don't add cooked food (attracts rats.)

Dont think I would out rose prunings in-put some on the beds to stop next doors cat 12 months ago-they are still there -twiggy stuff will take a lot longer than green soft material to rot down

I forget not everyone has a shredder, Geoff!  One alternative for twiggy stuff like rose prunings is hitting them a few times with a hammer/mallet on a stone surface which crushes them nicely.

Not sure what you mean by " composter".  However, if it's one of those Dalek-type plastic bins it's important that there's some way for worms to find their way in.  I have two of these bins + a big compost heap over the fence in the field, so perhaps it'll help if I tell you about the Daleks. They are in an area which is paved with concrete slabs -with approx half-inch gaps between the slabs.  Loads of worms have made their way in.

I put all sorts of kitchen waste (not cooked food) - e..g.  vegetable/fruit peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, contents of my vacuum cleaner, fluff from tumble dryer, shredded paper, garden greenery (but not weeds which have obvious seed heads), chopped-up prunings, some lawn-mowings, dead flowers & so on.  It's important not to have a deep layer of any one thing - so most of the lawn cuttings & large twiggy stuff/branches & so on go on to the big heap in the field, & I rely on the cattle's curiosty to trample the heap fro time to time, which means I don't have to turn it - which is something you're supposed to do on a regular basis.  For turning the contents of the Daleks I have a gadget which looks a bit like a folded arrowhead on a stick.  I push it down into the Daleks' contents from time to time & the folded arrowhead opens up as I pull the whole thing out again & this disturbs the layers.  Sorry I can't remember what it's called, or the manufacturer, but I bet somebody out there knows!  It helps if the compost is in a sunny spot - mine isn't - as heat helps decomposition.  I'm sure other posters will explain a bit more, but here's a start, anyway.........

Amazon have composter aerator

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darlac-GF6529-DP788-Compost-Aerator/dp/B0028YOOE4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361221442&sr=8-2

I use this in my daleks, much easier than emptying bins. 

Grass clippings -we put about 3-4 inches in as a layer but if you have treated your grass with anything - moss killer tc, do not add those clippings to your bin

Thank you so much everyone. So many tips in a short time

Hi ,this not a plug for this magazine but in this months Grow it there is an article about composting and you also get packet of free seeds with the mag....

derek

Super Gran, All shredders can get blocked, particularly by putting in too much soft green wet stuff all at once.  Over the years, I've learnt to feed it with a balanced diet (bit like myself, really!)  I keep two piles of stuff, one 'wet' and one 'dry' and put some 'wet' stuff in, followed by about 4 times as much 'dry'.  I find this keeps it from blocking too often, but some stuff (eg pampas grass, sweetcorn leaves) contains long tough fibres and these tend to get wrapped around spinning parts, so I try to avoid putting in stuff like that  (I chop it in to small bits with secateurs instead.)

We have this shredder http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001123CCO/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

I think its very good but the blades go blunt after a while, havent bought a new on yet so dont know how much they cost.

I agree with Bob, put in a bit of each..

I dont put rose prunings in my compost heaps, because of the thorns, also, I have learned from last years experience, that dead heads from bellis daisys come up everywhere. 

Thanks BobThe Gardener and Lyn I'll have a look at your link.  It's great this forum