Selfsufficientish.com

SusieGee wrote: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.

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.

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.

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.

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.