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Many
of us have compost bins in our garden, but not everybody knows the best
way to use them. Here is the Project Integra guide to getting the most
from home composting, therefore reducing waste going to landfill and
helping the environment. For extra facts about composting, click
here.
What can I put into my compost bin?
- Fruit scraps and vegetable peelings
- Tea bags (ripped open)
- Coffee grounds
- Grass cuttings
- Weeds (avoid pernicious weeds such as
bindweed)
- Vegetarian pet droppings (hamsters,
guinea pigs, rabbits)
- Shrub and hedge prunings (best chopped
small)
- Sawdust
- Hay and straw (best if wet)
- Leaves (in small quantities)
- Egg shells (best crushed - compost very
slowly)
Green materials
are the activators; high in nitrogen and moisture. Bacteria and fungi
break waste down rapidly.
Brown materials
are bulkier and tougher; providing more structure to the compost and get
broken down by larger invertebrates.
What shouldn't I put in my compost bin?
- Cooked food scraps
- Meat or fish scraps (may attract vermin)
- Thorny prunings (the thorns don't
decompose very well)
- Dog or cat droppings (may spread
disease)
- Thick, woody material
- Plastic, metal or glass
- Large amount of paper/cardboard
- Nappies
Trouble-shooting guide
| Problem |
Reason |
Solution |
| Unpleasant smell |
No air getting to the
compost |
Aerate the compost by
turning it with a garden fork. This should be done once a month for
better compost. |
| Wet and smelly |
Too much 'green' material
such as grass |
Put in less green
material. If you have a lot of grass, let it dry first or mix it
with 'brown' materials (see above). |
| Material not breaking down |
Compost mix not right or
bin not sited in the optimum place |
Your compost bin should be
on bare soil for drainage and preferably in a sunny position for
faster composting. If already sited correctly, add more soft, sappy,
nitrogen-rich activating materials (e.g. grass) or perhaps some
worms. |
| Compost heap dries out in
summer |
Evaporation of water due
to hot weather |
Water until compost is
moist. Keep lid on composter. |
| Flies |
Larvae feed on vegetation.
They are OK but you don't want too many. |
Avoid using pesticides.
Bury kitchen scraps and cover the pile with paper or under a layer
of soil. |
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