I saw this interesting statement today at http://www.plantea.com/compost.htm and thought I would share with ya'll.

"Did you know the hair on your head contains 30 times more nitrogen
than manure? Next time you go to the hairdresser, ask for a few pounds
of this nitrogen gold mine to add to your compost. "

I hope to research this and find out how true it is and if so I will be calling the neighborhood barbers and asking for donations.

Happy composting!
Nina

Oh, she also has a neat list of 163 things you can compost if anyone is interested.

That is true about the nitrogen levels in hair. However, because of the tough hair strand molecules, it can take a lot longer to break down and totally vanish hair in a pile, than it can take any animal manures or grass clippings. Of course it also depends on what type of mammal hair we are talking about too, for composting. I have heard of old composters saying that it took a year to completely not see the hair again in the piles and in their garden soils!

However, the hotter your piles are, the more aerobic microbes and constant moisture you have in your piles, the faster you can dissolve hair strands.

Happy Gardening!

Well hair breaks down slow. Why not put some hair down before you
put the plants in the hole or with the seeds. And you will have a slow
release source of food for your plant. I think that would be a better
use for the hair than the composter.

Keith (photobug63)

Hair - both human and non-human does offer a slow release of nitrogen. I have found that using dog hair in my gardening has the extra advantage of deterring the bunnies from eating the lettuce and I cover my spring bulbs with a wad of dog hair, and this keeps the squirrels from digging them up. Having four hairy dogs in the house helps...you want I should send you some? I have lots of dog hair...pesticide free!!

Make sure you don't use permed hair. The chemicals are toxic. My wife is a hairstylist and tells me all the nasty details