| Why Compost?Recent studies show that an | | | | your composter in a place which receives a fair |
| average family throws away approximately 200 | | | | amount of sunlight and shelter from the wind if |
| pounds of organic kitchen waste every year. | | | | you live in a cooler climate and if in a hotter |
| Combine this with all the leaves, grass clippings | | | | climate, ensure you give it shade to prevent it |
| and other organic garden waste accumulated over | | | | drying out.What Materials Can You |
| time and that's a lot of household waste being | | | | Compost?Pretty much all your organic household |
| added to the already mountainous waste disposal | | | | and garden waste is an elligible candidate for |
| problem. Some local authorities are refusing to | | | | composting although there are a few exceptions. |
| take away green waste from gardening and | | | | Things to particularly avoid are meat, fish, bones, |
| others charge for the service in an effort to curb | | | | fats and oils, dairy products like milk and cheese, |
| mounting costs and then when you add in the | | | | dog and cat droppings as these can attract |
| environmental costs of adding new landfill sites, | | | | animals, create foul smells as they degrade and |
| road transport emissions from ferrying all this | | | | carry nasty diseases. Also, whilst weeds and |
| waste around and potentially incineration and the | | | | plants can be added, it is advised to dry out |
| fumes that releases the environmental | | | | persisent weeds and remove seed heads before |
| advantages of composting are clear.In slightly | | | | adding these. Ashes are also best avoided, as are |
| more selfish terms, if you are a gardener then | | | | glossy magazines although shredded paper and |
| you will know the relatively high cost of fertiliser. | | | | cardboard are fine to add. Feel free to add waste |
| Well, OK an average gardener's yearly fertiliser | | | | fruit and vegetables, crushed egg shells, coffee |
| expenditure is not going to break the bank but | | | | grounds (worms love them!) and tea bags, hair, |
| when you can get fertiliser for free out of the | | | | leaves, grass clippings and other organic waste. As |
| stuff you throw away then it starts looking | | | | a general rule, if in doubt, leave it out but most |
| extremely expensive. Composting simply makes | | | | organic waste will rot down just fine and if you |
| good environmental and financial sense and it's so | | | | shred it or cut it up smaller, it will compost |
| easy to do there's nothing stopping you.What Do | | | | faster.How Long Before It Becomes |
| I Need To Begin?A compost bin, box, enclosure | | | | Compost?This depends on the balance of |
| or handy place to put an open compost heap. | | | | materials in your compost heap, the weather and |
| Cheap plastic composters and compost bins can | | | | the amount of time you can devote to the |
| be bought from all good garden centers and are | | | | project. If you want to take an active managed |
| quite inexpensive depending on your requirements. | | | | approach to your composting then you can have |
| A plastic compost bin is generally the cheapest | | | | afully composted pile in 3 months but if your only |
| whilst wood composters are generally more | | | | desire is to dispose of kitchen and garden waste |
| attractive additions to your garden but a little | | | | in a more 'green' manner then it can take 6 |
| more costly. An open heap (just create a pile | | | | months to a year or longer.Managed composting |
| somewhere) is also an option but it is advisable to | | | | can produce a 'hot rot' with very fast results but |
| have some sort of cover like a tarpaulin available | | | | it does require additional effort on your behalf to |
| for colder periods of weather.Another slightly | | | | keep it going. A managed, hot compost heap with |
| different alternative to composting in the | | | | an excellent balance of materials can reach |
| traditional sense is vermicomposting or wormeries. | | | | temperatures of 70 degree celsius but requires |
| These use a special kind of worms to break | | | | regular turning and nurturing with careful layering |
| down kitchen scraps producing a fine compost-like | | | | and balance of browns and greens in the mix, |
| material fromtheir casts and a nutrient filled liquid | | | | shredding materials and maintaining a good |
| plant food which is ideal for feeding indoor pot | | | | moisture level.An unmanaged cool heap is |
| plants. If do a lot of greenhouse gardening or | | | | however much easier to maintain and rots down |
| have a lot of houseplants then a wormery may | | | | at up to 30 degrees celsius with little input from |
| be the best choice for the disposal of household | | | | you. Just throwing your waste on the heap will |
| waste.If you do not want to actually spend | | | | give you a cooler heap which will rot down more |
| money on a composter then building your own | | | | slowly but is fine for green waste disposal |
| isn't exactly difficult if you do not mind picking up | | | | purposes.There are ways to increase the rate of |
| a hammer and nails. Nail together a few wooden | | | | the composting process in both cases by, for |
| pallets for example and you've got an enclosure | | | | example, adding composting worms, or by using |
| suitable for composting. For plans and ideas on | | | | an activator which help speed up the process. The |
| how to assemble your own composter at little | | | | addition of a handful or soil now and then or horse |
| cost, simply head to your favourite search engine | | | | manure will also add micro-organisms to speed up |
| and type in phrases like "build your own | | | | the composting process free of charge.For The |
| composter" or "compost bin plans" for an endless | | | | Best Compost......use a wide variety of different |
| supply of simple ideas typically costing under | | | | materials. The more varied the materials you add |
| $30.Where To Put Your CompostWhether you | | | | to the compost pile, the nutrient rich your final |
| purchase a composting bin or make your own | | | | compost will be. Compost made from kitchen and |
| composter you need to make sure you have a | | | | garden waste is the best food for your plants |
| flat, well drained place in your garden not too far | | | | and at the same time you are helping the |
| away that you begrudge taking your kitchen | | | | environment and saving yourself and your local |
| scraps out to it. Compost bins should not be | | | | government money into the bargain.Mark Falco is |
| placed on concrete, patio areas etc. as you want | | | | the webmaster of the British gardening shopping |
| to allow the insects, worms and microorganisms | | | | guide found at which includes where to buy |
| which help degradation of your waste materials | | | | composting accessories including composters, |
| the freedom to migrate into and out of your | | | | compost worms and accessories as well as |
| compost without hinderance.In addition, choose a | | | | garden tools, furniture, plants and gardening |
| site which suits your climate. Warmth and | | | | accessories online for UK delivery. |
| moisture helps the composting process so place | | | | |