Compost and kilei zera'im
Question
I have a compost heap. Naturally, seeds of various kinds also end up there together with the waste, unintentionally germinating.
Recently, pumpkin seeds sprouted there, and I decided to use the seedlings.
Is there a problem of kilei zera'im because there may be seeds of other kinds in the pile (which so far haven’t sprouted or at least haven’t grown to a noticeable size)?
Does it make a difference if I grow the pumpkin seedlings inside the heap or if I remove them and plant them in the garden?
Answer
1. There is no prohibition in throwing waste into the compost, because if the composting process had been proper, nothing would have grown. What does grow is incidental. Additionally, several conditions must be met for such growth to occur. Therefore, throwing waste does not constitute a prohibited act of kilei zera'im.
2. In the case where pumpkin seeds have sprouted: as long as no other species has grown alongside them, there is no issue of kilayim. However, if another species grows near the pumpkins, you will need to uproot and transplant the pumpkins to another location.
With blessings of Torah and the Land,
Yehuda HaLevy Amichay
Torah and the Land Institute
Kfar Darom, Ashkelon