How to compost

Just follow the basic guidelines and composting can become a fun and satisfying part of your gardening routine with very little effort.

How does composting happen?

Composting is a completely natural process where organic matter is broken down by bacteria, worms
and a whole host of other creatures. This is nature’s highly effective way of recycling by returning everything back to the earth.

When we heap organic matter together into a bin it creates an environment that accelerates the process and so it decomposes much more quickly.

So how do I start?

After a session of gardening collect all the waste into buckets or barrows and take to the compost bin area. It is important to achieve a balance of nitrogen and carbon, which is much easier than it first sounds.

• Plants that are high in nitrogen tend to be sappy, soft and generally green with the exception of flowers,
  carrots and parsnips etc.
• Plants with high carbon content are quite dry, fibrous and often brown.
• Add an equal mix of browns and greens to the bin and you will be well on the way to making good
  compost.
• If you are short of greens add some fruit peels or raw veg waste from the kitchen
• Short of browns? Add scrunched up paper and card.

Need some advice on what kind of bin to use? Read our ‘Tools you’ll need for composting’ advice for further information.

The key to understanding composting is to remember the three basic elements that are needed for composting to happen:

Organic waste

A general rule of thumb is anything that was once a living plant can be composted and the greater the variety of ingredients the better your finished compost will be. Download the ‘What can be composted’ resource for more information.

Moisture

Easily added by sprinkling a watering can over the bin contents. The moisture content should be like a damp sponge, too dry and composting will slow down. Too wet will cause air to become excluded and create anaerobic conditions and bin will become smelly.

Air

Like us the compost process needs oxygen, this is naturally incorporated as you add to your heap however if the material becomes compacted you can add air by turning your heap. If you are using a dalek style plastic bin add scrunched up paper to the mix as you add the waste, to trap the air between the layers.

How long does it take?

The whole process can take as little as 6 months or up to a year. But when it is finished the compost will look like a rich crumbly dark brown soil with no smell.