Opinions differ on the question of whether thuja can be added to the compost. Some gardeners warn against this because the tree of life is poisonous, others fear that the resulting compost soil will be too acidic. In addition, Thuja rots very slowly in the compost.
Can thuja be put in the compost?
Thuja can be added to the compost in small quantities as the poison it contains decomposes during composting. Make sure to only chop he althy thuja parts and mix them well with other materials. You can treat acidic compost with lime to adjust the pH value.
Can thuja be put in the compost?
Like all organic materials, you can naturally compost thuja. You don't have to worry about the poison.
However, you should not put too large quantities of thuja cuttings in the compost at once. The rotting process then takes far too long and the compost becomes moldy. The humus also later becomes too acidic and is then hardly usable in the garden.
Thuja poison decomposes when composted
The thuja is so poisonous because of its high content of essential oils. Only if you eat parts of a thuja is there a real danger.
The essential oils evaporate in the compost heap and then no longer pose a danger.
How to compost thuja
- Only add he althy thuja to the compost
- Chop the thuja cut or cut it very small
- Always compost small amounts at a time
- mix well with other materials
Only thin branches are composted. Thick branches would take far too long to break down into humus, even if they were shredded.
When chopping the thuja, you should wear protective clothing as the sap that comes out can cause skin inflammation.
Compost made from lime is acidic
Compost that contains a lot of thuja is very acidic. This also applies to the leaves of walnuts and other trees in the garden.
This acidic compost can be used very well if you want to create beds with ericaceous plants such as rhododendrons, hydrangeas or azaleas.
If you also want to fertilize other plants, you should treat the compost soil with lime. The lime absorbs the acid and raises the pH value. For every three cubic meters of compost, spread one kilogram of algae lime (€28.00 on Amazon).
Tip
As a precaution, you should not compost thuja with mildew. This is especially true if the infestation was caused by powdery mildew. There is a risk that the fungal spores will survive the heat in the compost and will later be spread throughout the garden.
