Opinions differ on the question of whether thuja should be put on the compost. Some gardeners warn against this because the tree of life is poisonous, while others fear that the resulting compost soil will become too acidic. In addition, thuja rots quite slowly on the compost.

Thuja clippings can be composted sparingly

Can thuja go on the compost?

Like all organic materials, you can naturally compost thuja. You don't have to worry about the poison.

However, you must not put too large a quantity of Thuja cuttings on the compost at once. The rotting process then takes far too long and the compost molds. The hummus also becomes too acidic later on and can then hardly be used in the garden.

The thuja poison decomposes when composted

The thuja is so poisonous because of the high content of essential oils. Only if you eat parts of a thuja is there a real danger.

The essential oils evaporate on the compost heap and then no longer pose a threat.

How to compost thuja

  • Only put healthy thuja on the compost
  • Chop the Thuja section or cut it very small
  • only compost small amounts at a time
  • mix well with other materials

Only thin branches are composted. Thick branches would take far too long to decompose to humus, even if you cut them up.

You should wear protective clothing when chopping the thuja, as the escaping plant sap can cause skin inflammation.

Lime compost 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 with it, you should treat the compost soil with lime. The lime absorbs the acid and raises the pH value. Spread one kilogram of algae lime per three cubic meters of compost.

tips

To be on the safe side, you should not compost thuja with powdery 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 later be distributed throughout the garden.

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Care tips