Home Composting
Why compost at home?
By separating and then composting your kitchen scraps and garden waste in your garden, you immediately reduce the amount of household waste you produce and turn it into a useful and free product which will help to improve the quality of your soil. It is a hands on, 'at one with the earth' way in which you can practically reduce your impact on the planet.
How do I get started?
- Select a level site in your garden (the sunnier the better) on grass or soil
- Buy a purpose made plastic or wooden container
- Or make your own container from wooden pallets or scrap timber
- Or build a heap and cover with old carpet or black polythene
For tips and advice about home composting please go to Recycle Now composting.
Where can I get a home compost bin?
Go to www.ccc.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444 to buy discounted compost bins. If you prefer to order one by post, ask for a leaflet from your local council.
What can I home compost?
You might be surprised at what you can actually compost at home. The table bellow lists items that can be composted. Items are split into 'greens' and 'browns' to help you identify what will create the best mix for your compost. The composting process requires a certain amount of 'greens' which contain the bacteria to generate the heat for the composting process, and browns which bulk up the mix, absorb moisture, create air pockets and provide good conditions for a variety of mini-beasts.
What can and can't be composted in your composter.
| Greens |
Browns |
| Tea bags |
Egg shells (crushing them will speed up the process) |
| Coffee grounds and filter paper |
Egg boxes |
| Grass cuttings |
Cereal boxes |
| Vegetable peelings |
Corrugated cardboard and packaging (scrunched up in small amounts) |
| Old flowers |
Newspaper (scrunched up) |
| Fruit scraps |
Toilet and kitchen roll tubes |
| Nettles |
Garden prunings |
| Spent bedding plants |
Dry leaves, twigs and hedge clippings |
| Comfrey leaves |
Straw and hay |
| Rhubarb leaves |
Bedding from vegetarian pets |
| Young annual weeds |
Wool |
| Pond algae and seaweed (in moderation) |
Feathers |
| |
Ashes from wood, paper, or lumpwood charcoal |
| |
Woody clippings |
| |
Cotton threads |
| |
String (made from natural fibres) |
| |
Tumble dryer lint (from natural fibre clothes) |
| |
Old natural fibre clothes (e.g.woolly jumpers or cotton t-shirts - cut into small pieces) |
| |
Vacuum bag contents (if you have natural fibre carpets) and vacuum bag if paper |
| |
Tissues, paper towels and napkins (unless they have been in contact with meat, fats, oils or disease) |
| |
Shredded paper |
| |
Corn cobs and stalks |
| |
Pine needles and cones (slow to compost - don't put too much in) |
So, I have a home compost bin - what next?
Start adding material. Composting is a living process. Micro -organisms, worms, insects and fungi all eat away at the content of your bin or heap and turn it into compost. All of this activity generates heat, which helps speed up the process.
The key to good compost is getting a combination of the above materials (roughly 50% greens and 50% browns) and to give the compost a good mix or turn every so often. This may mean removing some fresh or big items on top, turning the material underneath and mixing in fresher materials.
Too many green items alone may mean your compost is too wet and sludgy and too many browns and the compost will be too dry! Mixing them together works better.
Good quality compost generally takes 3 months to produce during warm weather and 6 months during the winter. It can take up to a year to produce compost with a really fine consistency.
Why turn the compost?
Some people never turn their compost. This is okay but it will take longer to make compost. Turning adds air, which is an energy boost, and will help keep the heap or bin hot.
Trouble Shooting Tips
Troubleshooting tips on composting.
| Problem |
Cause |
Solution |
| Nasty Smells |
Compost too wet
Too Many grass cuttings |
Leave lid off in dry weather, remove some grass cuttings |
| Slow Decay |
Not enough
heat
Too dry - needs activator
Lack of air |
Position in sunlight, keep lid on
Moisten and mix in soft material
Poor mix so fork through / add new material into the loose layers |
| Vermin |
Meats and fats have been added |
Remove unsuitable material |
What if I can't home compost?
Please use the facilities that your local council provides, either a kerbside collection for organic waste or your nearest recycling centre. Go to your local recycling scheme for further information.
