Home Composting
Composting is the ultimate recycling method. A natural process of decomposition that turns organic matter into a useful product for the garden.
About 1/2 the contents of an average dustbin can be composted. One third being organic matter, mostly kitchen waste, the remainder being paper and card.
Why Compost?
- It's an easy way to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill sites
- The conditions inside a landfill site allow organic materials to ferment, producing a greenhouse gas called Methane. Diverting this material away from landfill will help reduce the damaging effect of this form of disposal
- Compost is an excellent soil additive. Improves soil fertility and plant growth
What to Compost?
Think of composting as cooking. You need to add the right 'ingredients'.
BROWNS: Dry, hard materials e.g. dried leaves, prunings, woody type material, egg shells, small amounts of paper and card.
GREENS: Soft, wet materials e.g. grass cuttings, flowers, kitchen waste (peelings, fruit and vegetable left overs), tea bags, coffee grinds
Do NOT add:
- Meat or any material prepared with meat
- Fish and cheese
- Cooked left overs
- Weeds in seed and diseased plants
- Coal ash
- Dog and cat litter/waste
- Nappy waste
How to compost?
- Place your composter in a sunny, well-drained area of bare soil. NOT on paving or decking
- Add equal volumes of 'browns' and 'greens'
- Chop large items into small pieces and ensure the compost is moist but not too wet
- To speed up the decomposition process turn the contents regularly and add a compost accelerator
A wealth of information on Home Composting can be found on the recycle now website, including some animation showing what actually happens inside your compost bin during the decomposition stages.
The finished article
It normally takes between 6 and 12 months before you start producing usable compost. When it takes on a soil like appearance spread it on borders and beds or use it to pot up plants. Compost will help plants grow but in order to survive they will also need water.
Install a water butt to collect rainwater. Plants will prefer to be treated with natural rainwater and you will be helping to conserve what is fast becoming a precious resource. Water butts can also be purchased at subsidised prices from the getcomposting website.