Composting tips

Compost Your Kitchen and Garden Rubbish

More than a third of a household's waste is biodegradable and could be composted to make useful soil for the garden. Many homes still don't have a compost bin, and their rubbish ends up taking up space in landfills and producing toxic methane when mixed with unnatural matter. If rubbish is composted then valuable space in landfill sites will be saved and climate change impacts can be avoided.

Here are some tips on getting started with your compost:

Buy a compost bin from your local DIY store or garden centres. A 200-300 litre bin is normally big enough for an average-sized household. You can also make your own bin out of wood by create a wood frame and posts driven into the ground. Cover you compost with a plastic cover to keep the rain out and keep to keep the heat and moisture in. Its best to keep you compost bin in a well-drained area of bare soil or grass, in the sun, and out of the wind. Irrigating the soil underneath will help drainage. Remember that to help matter decompose, a moist environment with warmth from the sun will speeds up the composting process.

What you can put in a compost:

raw vegetables and fruit tea, tea bags, coffee granules egg shells - crushed grass clippings, pruning, old plants chicken / pigeon / horse manure unbleached paper or soft cardboard (shredded is best)

What you should not add to your compost: cooked foods, meat or fish, ash from wood or coal, dog, cat droppings,nappies, used tissue, persistent weeds, dairy products, coloured or shiny paper

How to speed up your composting: chop or shred tough stems or pruning. It is important to turn the heap or add a little crumpled newspaper Make sure it is moist Add grub worms and bacteria for composting. Ask your local garden store for the right kind

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