White specks in compost

[veg4681]

So does that mean that we have to check roughly the entire content of our compost, both bought and homemade? I'm sure as hell getting a bit paranoid. I never want to see those things in my compost.

[Flummery]

I've never had them in mine. You know what they say on the Crimewatch programme. "Don't have nightmares."

[seasprout]

Your plants will let you know if they are present.

Plants start to wilt even when compost is moist, that's the time to investigate the root balls.

[Peter Olding]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Yes I think my compost is a bit wet. I do turn quite often but I think I might be adding too much wet stuff and should be balancing it out with more dry items

[rustylady]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Yes I think my compost is a bit wet. I do turn quite often but I think I might be adding too much wet stuff and should be balancing it out with more dry items

Shredded paper is good to add. I think most of us now shred our personal stuff. We shred newspaper for guinea pig bedding, and the used bedding then gets added to the compost heap. You can bypass the guineapig stage if you wish.

[Peter Olding]

Thanks for the re[ply rustylady. I think that I'm not adding enough 'brown' material to my compost of late. Something I'm putting right with newspaper and empty toliet roll tubes.

[Rockhag]

This is kinda on the same vein but yesterday I took the compost bin I'd bought from the council (Was only £9 woo) to the lottie and was digging over the soil underneath where it's supposed to go and I noticed all of this. The best way to describe it was kinda like tumble dryer lint???

Can anyone help me identify it?

[Snadger]

For material to be broken down into usable compost numerous proccesses are at work. Bacteria and soil born fungi and moulds, along with brandling worms and many other small animals all assist in this.
Rockhags photo just looks like a normal fungisidal action on semi composted material even though the compost does look a bit dry methinks!

[Flummery]

This is kinda on the same vein but yesterday I took the compost bin I'd bought from the council (Was only £9 woo) to the lottie and was digging over the soil underneath where it's supposed to go and I noticed all of this. The best way to describe it was kinda like tumble dryer lint???

Can anyone help me identify it?

I add tumble drier lint to my compost bin. Well, if I'm going to be un-green and use the tumbler I might as well get some green benefit!