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Composting
Why home compost?
Composting is an inexpensive, natural process that transforms
your kitchen and garden waste into a nutrient rich compost for your
garden.
When waste is sent to landfill, air cannot get to the organic
waste. As a result, as it breaks down, it produces harmful gases,
like ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide. However, when some of the
same waste is composted above ground at home, oxygen helps the
waste to decompose, which means no methane is produced.
What can be composted?
Like any recipe, your compost relies on the right ingredients to
make it work.
Yes
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Grass cuttings
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Egg shells
- Weeds
- Rabbit and guinea pig bedding
- Leaves
- Shredded paper and card
- Wood ash
- Sawdust
No
- Meat, fish and bones
- Coal ash
- Nappies
- Dog and cat litter
- Metal, glass and plastic
- Dairy products
- Diseased plants
Composting can be done by using a dedicated compost bin, or can
be contained simply by concrete blocks or wooden planks, covering
the pile with an old carpet or plastic sheet to keep the rain out
and the heat in.
Getting started with a bin
- Place the bin in a sunny spot.
- Place it directly on grass or earth, so that worms and other
organisms can get into their food.
- Secure the bin, so that it will not get blown over.
When it comes to composting, be sure to let it have the
right environment:
- Food: Carbon and nitrogen, (greens and
browns). Remember, it is important to get a good mix of brown and
green materials. About half-and-half of each will make good
compost. Keep a caddy or special bin near the kitchen bins and
place all the waste that can be composted in it. This will save on
trips to the garden.
- Water: Composting will take place more quickly
if the pile is kept moist but not soggy. Add water or dry materials
to the compost bin as needed to keep the balance.
- Air: Make sure the compost pile gets plenty of
air by stirring and mixing the contents occasionally.
When is the compost ready to use?
The compost has finished composting and is ready to use when it
has a uniform look (like soil), a dark colour, small particle size
and an earthy odour. Most of the materials put in will no longer be
recognisable. Use finished compost as a mulch, soil additive or as
potting soil.
Troubleshooting
The compost is wet and slimy
Add woody waste or paper and card to help absorb the moisture
and add texture to the compost. Turning the heap with a fork will
help to mix the new materials.
The compost heap smells
A smelly heap means that there is not enough air getting to it.
Try adding woody waste to create air pockets and turn the heap with
a fork.
There are lots of flies around the compost
Cover the heap or the top of bin with a layer of soil 2 or 3cm
thick.
The compost does not appear to be doing anything
Make sure that a wide range of materials has been added to the
bin or heap. Ensure that the compost is kept moist, possibly by
using an old piece of carpet to cover the heap or top of the
bin.
Know your stuff
Degradable: Susceptible to chemical
breakdown.
Biodegradable: Capable of decaying through the
action of living organisms.
Only biodegradable materials can go into the compost bin because
compost bins, wormeries or food digesters need air to work properly
as they are aerobic. If these same materials go to landfill, where
there is no air (these places are anaerobic) they rot and can
produce harmful gasses such as carbon dioxide, methane and
ammonia.
Medway Council currently composts its garden waste using
windrows. Essentially these are long columns of garden waste that
are out in the open. Because the core temperature does not get hot
enough to kill diseased food pathogens, it cannot take either food
waste or biodegradable plastic.
Useful information - compost bins, water butts and
wormeries
To order your compost bin, water butt or wormery today, phone
0844 5714444 or visit www.medway.getcomposting.com/.
For a wealth of information on home composting,
visit recycle
now.
If you would like further information on wormeries, visit:
www.bubblehouseworms.com/.
Your compost bin doesn't have to be plain and boring. Why not
create a unique design like the one on the right, send a photo of
it by post to the address, enclose your name and address and
receive a gift made out of recycled products?
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