composting tea bags

[ina]

Reading this when it was first posted made me re-evaluate the teabag/loose tea situation and I decided to try loose again. I can't believe the difference in the end result, drinking tea has now become a real treat again - the flavour is so much nicer somehow and I have one of those little nylon sieve thingys that slots into the teapot so you just drain it and shake into the compost

I've been using a cotton one for years - always bought in Germany, because I never saw them here! The only thing to beware of - occasionally I forget to empty it straight away. It does start to get mouldy after a while... Yuck. But they can be washed in the machine.

[dave45]

I've been composting t-bags for decades with no ill effects - never really noticed anything odd in the output. Its certain kitchen rolls that are a problem! The paper rots away leaving an indestructible fibrous mass.... keep digging bits of this stuff up even though we swapped to pure paper rolls several years ago.

[Big Al]

you could always tear the bags open and use the tea leaves and then recycle the bags if you want. Well that's what i do anyway.

[Treelover]

i keep tea bags in summer for a few days to use to slap damp on sunburn - i only have to look outside to catch a freckle and by the time i've turned round i burn, and however careful you are it CAN happen - so that is another use for them! very soothing, though you do end up with a tea-coloured false tan..... i've never had any trouble with teabags breaking down.

[Lentil]

I have always had problems with tea bag remains in my compost, but always tear the bag, which helps.
I have been tipping out the tea into the wormery and had only today wondered if they would digest the bags: No need to experiment now as you have given me my answer, thanks!

P.S. I empty the tea out for my own very weak black tea and use the bags for Bouquet Garni etc. and to strain small amounts of wine dregs etc.