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Most experts tell you not to compost cat and dog manure because they contain patho-
gens. I think we just need to know how to make a good pile that will kill most of the patho-
gens. Obviously we don't want our pile to be 50% dog manure. It will more likely be 2%
dog manure, and that's just fine. It's true that these manures contain pathogens. Cat manure
contains a microbe that is hazardous to children and fetuses in the womb. It's just as haz-
ardous in the litter box and out on the lawn, so my opinion is that composting it is fine, as
long as you're building a proper compost.
Experts also say not to compost diseased plants, but I disagree. First of all, most patho-
gens will be killed in a well-made pile, and perhaps more importantly, their predators will
be given a reason to flourish if their food source is around. We need some disease around in
order to keep the predators that eat that disease around, so I put all diseased plants right in-
to the pile.
About the only things I don't compost are toxic materials such as colored paper and car-
pet, and noxious weeds such as quack grass and bindweed that may survive the composting
process and be subsequently spread throughout the garden. But yes, I use oak leaves, pine
needles, cooking oil, ashes, and even a small amount of meat in the middle of the pile.
If all of this sounds like a bit of work, it is. If you have more money than time, you can
pay someone else to do it for you or buy compost, as long as it gets done. Using compost
may be one of the most important things you can do for your garden.
