How Can You Compost Dog Poop Safely at Your House

Black worm farm dog poop compost bin in garden bed with large, green Birds of Paradise leaves. Collingwood, Australia.

We love composting here at Jerry HQ - after all, it’s how Jerry Bags started! The process of recycling organic matter (food scraps, unwanted paper receipts and yep, dog poop) into a nutrient rich fertiliser for soil and plants, gets us buzzing! Those wiggly worms are the real MVP.

Start here.
If you have food scraps and dog poop you’re ready to go. Even if you live in the inner city with a small space, you can start composting. There’s some great dog poo worm farms available or you can DIY a compost bin.

What to add in the compost bin.
Keep your compost diverse - equal amounts of garden waste, food scraps and dog poo will do.

Add in food waste (we’re talking banana skins, egg shells, potato peels), dog poop, torn up cardboard boxes, paper, hair and dust from the vacuum, grass and plant clippings, dead flowers. Don’t forget, you can also add in your Jerry Bags, box, stickers & mailers - they’re totally compostable.

What happens.
The worms & micro-organisms break down the organic material. During this process the temperature in the compost mixture rises. Over time, the heat will kill most canine bacteria (and will break down the dog poop & dog poop bags).

Once you’ve filled a bin, you’ll need to give the micro-organisms time to do their work. We often have a couple of compost bins on the go. Compost worms can really speed things up here.

When the waste is fully decomposed, it forms humus (compost). It's a dark, soil-like material with a pleasant, earthy smell.

Pop handfuls of your humus (that’s your compost, not hummus) around your plants - it will feed the soil with nutrients. Seriously, watch them grow.

Important note.
Please don’t add your dog poo compost (or any dog poop) to your veggie patch, edible garden or anything else you eat - the dog poo might contaminate your food and can make you sick. Dog poo for plants not potatoes.

Hot tips.

  • Turn over the compost every week or so - this will ensure uniform composting and oxygenation. Aerator tools (or even a stick) are really good for this
  • Add in compost worms - they’ll eat their weight in waste
  • All living things need water - keep your compost not too wet & not too dry
  • Keep your compost diverse - equal amounts garden waste, food scraps and dog poo
  • If your pup has just been wormed, their poo might kill your compost worms (makes sense, hey?) - wait a couple of weeks before you start adding the poop back to your worm farm
  • Cover your compost bin (keeps the undesirable out & the desirables in)
  • Have fun
Image.
📷 Jerry.
Image description: Black worm farm/dog poop compost bin in garden bed with large, green Birds of Paradise leaves. Collingwood, Australia.

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