Home Composting

Not all of us have gardens but if you do then a compost heap is a great way to both minimise the amount of garden waste that you have to get rid of and you can also use it to process a huge amount of your kitchen scraps. It will save a lot of waste ending up in landfill, do wonders for your garden and save you having to buy compost.  

There is nothing complicated about a compost heap, it can be just that 'a heap' but you probably want something a little less un-sightly in your garden so a plastic bin type of wooden one is probably preferable, they both work well though I prefer the open type like in the photos as it is much easier to turn the contents. 

Where to put the heap, 

• in a sunny or semi-shaded position
• directly on the soil or grass
• away from boggy areas or drainage courses (you don't want it to get waterlogged)

• easy to get to
• have closed sides and you should have some way to insulate the top with carpet or bubblewrap etc.
• has a lid or cover

What can I add to the heap?

You can add a huge range to your heap but the key is to have a variety as some things rot quickly, others more slowly. Grass rots quickly for instance but too much on its own and it just turns into a slimy smelly mess.  Here is a list of some things you can add,

• Grass cuttings
• Raw vegetable peelings (keep a small bucket or tupperware box in the kitchin)
• Tea bags and leaves, coffee grounds
• Young green weed growth ? avoid weeds with seeds
• Soft green prunings
• Nettles
• Animal manure from herbivores eg cows and horses
• Poultry manure and bedding

You can also add things that take longer to rot down but which make excellent compost.  If you mix these with some of the ones from above, then the rotting process will be a lot quicker.  Grass for instance is an activator and helps get everything going. 

• Shredded newspaper, cardboard, magazines and confidential waste 
• Broken up egg shells (rinsed off first)
• The contents of your hoover
• Hair (pet and human)
• Kitchen floor sweepings
• Hedge clippings
• Woody prunings
• Old bedding plants
• Bracken
• Sawdust
• Wood shavings
• Wood ash

• Meat
• Fish
• Cooked food
• Coal & coke ash
• Cat litter
• Dog faeces
• Disposable nappies

How long will it take? 

It can take as little as 6-8 weeks to have compost that is ready to use but it really depends on what you put in, how hot your heap gets and how often you turn it.  

To speed up the process as much as possible, try to mix faster and slower composting items in about equal volume.  Mix your compost heap as often as you can (every couple of weeks is great) and use some old carpet or bubblewrap to cover it, this helps to stop it getting waterlogged and helps to get it hotter which breaks everything down much faster.  

Water your heap if it gets too dry in the summer and try to keep it from getting waterlogged.