It’s a good idea to use a variety of materials in your compost heap.  Common sense will suggest that different ingredients contribute different nutrients and value to the finished product.  Usually, the raw materials in a compost heap will begin to rot very quickly once mixed together and moistened with water.  However, some plant and vegetable debris is slow to decompose or can interfere in some other way with the composting process.  Here are some raw materials that need extra attention if you want to add them to your compost bin.

Corncobs, cotton stalks, sugarcane leaves, and palm fronds are slow to rot.  They should be chopped up and mixed with materials that break down easily.  Citrus rinds are surprising tough and should be chopped into pieces or burned to ashes before composting.

Apple pomace (waste material from cider-making) is excellent for composting, but because it contains a lot of moisture, it should be spread in thin layers.  The apple seeds may survive even through the heating of the pile.  Similarly, hops (brewery wastes) add value to the compost but can make the pile excessively damp.  Add an extra layer of dry material to balance things out and keep an eye on the moisture level in the compost pile.

Cornstalks and husks must be run through a shredder before you try to compost them.  However, some gardeners think the safest thing to do with this material is to till it under the soil.

Walnut, pecan, and almond shells are a valuable ingredient because they contain important minerals.  Be sure to pulverize them first in a chopper.

Trying to compost bushes with prickly thorns can present a bit of a problem.  The branches should be cut up or run through a chipper.  They will decay in a reasonable amount of time, but the thorns on the branches are so tough they may not decompose at all.  Thorns are also difficult to chop up or pulverize because they are so tiny.  If you use this type of material, be warned that you could encounter sharp thorns when you’re working with the finished compost.

The thing to remember is that just about any plant matter will decompose faster if you chop it up first.  For the best results, mix slow-rotting materials with things that rot easily, and layer very wet materials with plenty of dry materials.  By taking a little extra effort with challenging items, you can maximize your compost production and avoid throwing compostable plant matter into the trash.