How to Compost
How to Compost
All garden waste, including grass cuttings, prunings, leaves, hedge trimmings and vegetable waste from kitchens can be recycled by composting. Many local councils sell composters, often at a reduced cost. You can also buy compost bins from local garden centres and DIY stores.
Find the Right Site
Ideally site your compost bin in a reasonably sunny site on bare soil. If you have to put your compost bin on concrete, tarmac or patio slabs ensure there's a layer of paper and twigs or existing compost on the bottom. Choose a place where you can easily add ingredients to the bin and get the compost out.
Add the Right Ingredients
Have a container available such as a kitchen caddy or old ice-cream tub. Fill your kitchen caddy or container with everything from vegetable and fruit peelings to teabags, toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes and eggshells. Take care not to compost cooked food, meat or fish.
You can compost:
- fruit and vegetable scraps
- tea bags, coffee grounds
- crushed egg shells
- grass cuttings, prunings and leaves
- small amounts of shredded paper and soft cardboard
- animal hair
- vacuum dust (only from woollen carpets).
You can't compost:
- cat or dog excrement
- meat
- cheeses
- fish
- disposable nappies
- shiny card
- hard objects
Fill it Up
Empty your kitchen caddy along with your garden waste into your compost bin. A 50/50 mix of greens and browns is the perfect recipe for good compost.
Wait a while
It takes between nine and 12 months for your compost to become ready for use, so now all you need to do is wait and let nature do the work. Keep on adding greens and browns to top up your compost.
Ready for Use
Once your compost has turned into a crumbly, dark material, resembling thick, moist soil and gives off an earthy, fresh aroma, you know it's ready to use.
Removing the Compost
Lift the bin slightly or open the hatch at the bottom and scoop out the fresh compost with a garden fork, spade or trowel.
Using It
Don't worry if your compost looks a little lumpy with twigs and bits of eggshell - this is perfectly normal. Use it to enrich borders and vegetable patches, plants or to feed the lawn. Most councils now collect green waste (excluding food waste). To find out more visit your local council website.
