Composting is a bit of an art form. Don't be afraid though. It’s easy to learn and to make your own compost with the right mixture of organic kitchen and garden waste.
When composting on a small scale it is essential to get the right mix of ‘greens’ (waste with a high nitrogen content) and ‘browns’ (high in carbon and useful to create air pockets). Add them in thin alternate layers and shred waste for easier composting, smaller pieces = faster decomposition.
Make sure to add:
GREENS
Tea bags/coffee grounds (only add tea bags if you are using plastic free ones. They are one of those sneaky products that hides a little bit of plastic. Manufacturers are increasingly producing plastic free ones now so do your research)
Grass Cuttings
Organic kitchen waste (eg vegetable peelings)
Old flowers
Annual weeds
BROWNS
Twigs and shredded prunings
Small strips of cardboard
Scrunched up paper
Eggshells
Straw or hay
Dry leaves
Sawdust
But don’t add:
Meat
Fat
Cooked food
Dairy products
Animal droppings
Diseased plants
Perennial weeds (in particular roots & seeds)
Compost makes a great soil conditioner, excellent mulch for borders (adds nutrients and suppresses weeds) and can even be used as potting compost if you put it through a garden sieve such as the Easy Riddle before use.
Find out more about home composting from our friends at WRAP: click here for their web site
Watch Rabbie as he tries his hand at composting - click here for the video!
