Written by Jenny Catton
If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly, organic compost for your garden and want to reduce the amount of rubbish your household sends to landfill at the same time, composting is a great way to go green.
Homemade compost contains a wide range of natural nutrients that will nourish the plants in your garden. And making compost from your kitchen and garden waste is an easy way to reduce waste and create a steady supply of free compost.
You’ll find a wide range of compost bins available to buy from garden centres or online. Alternatively, you can make your own using an old dustbin with holes in the bottom, or by using a wooden pallet. You’ll find how-to videos and advice on the Internet but essentially, you need to create an environment where worms and insects can reach your compost and water can easily drain away.
Choose a sunny spot in the garden for your compost bin as a warm environment will help speed up the biochemical processes. In winter, you can wrap your compost bin with a piece of old carpet to help keep the heat in. Make sure it has some sort of cover to keep the rain, and pests out.
You can put many kinds of kitchen waste into your compost bin including fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, teabags, and egg shells. However, you should not add any cooked food, meat or fish.
For more advice about composting, visit: www.lovethegarden.com
