Composting

A Garden Organic guide

 Written and compiled by Pauline Pears
Illustrated by John Beaman. Designed and set by Dave Webb
©1997 Garden Organic Publishing. Update & reprint ©2009
Garden Organic Ryton, Coventry CV8 3LG
Tel: (024) 7630 3517 Fax: (024) 7663 9229
Email: [email protected] Website: www.gardenorganic.org.uk
Why make compost?
Read this guide and you will learn how to save money, grow healthy plants, help
clean up the environment, reduce pollution and protect endangered peatland habitats.
How? Simply by recycling garden debris and kitchen scraps to make compost.

Compost makes your garden grow

Compost, a rich soil-like material, works wonders around the garden;
• lightens heavy soils
• helps light soils hold more water
• feeds plants
• helps control diseases

Compost saves you money

Home-made compost, helps cut down on buying garden products;
• soil improvers
• fertilisers
• mulches

Compost helps reduce pollution

Making compost contributes towards a cleaner environment;
• reduces the need for bonires
• cuts down on waste going to landill
• less need for manufactured and packaged products

Compost saves wildlife

The use of peat is causing the destruction of fragile peatland habitats, and the
rare plants and animals that live there. Ninety-four per cent of the UK’s lowland
peatbogs have been damaged or destroyed. Composted kitchen and garden waste
can be used in place of peat - giving the remaining peatland wildlife a better
chance of survival.

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What can I compost?

If it can rot it will compost, but some items are best avoided. This page gives you
some ideas on what, and what not, to add to your compost heap.

Some things, like grass mowings and soft young weeds, rot quickly. They work
as ‘activators’, getting the composting started, but on their own will decay to a
smelly mess.

Activators, quick to rot Slower to rot

• comfrey leaves • fruit and veg scraps
• nettle leaves • tea bags and coffee grounds
• grass cuttings • old straw and hay
• poultry manures • vegetable plant remains
• young weeds • strawy manures
• old lowers and bedding plants
• young hedge clippings
• soft prunings
• perennial weeds
• gerbil, hamster, rabbit and other
vegetarian pet bedding

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Older and tougher plant material is slower to rot but gives body to the inished
compost. Woody items decay very slowly; they are best chopped or shredded irst,
where appropriate.
For best results, use a mixture of types of ingredients. The right balance is something
you learn by experience. A good rule of thumb is to mix equal amounts of ‘green’
material (grass cuttings, fruit and veg scraps, young weeds, etc) with ‘brown’ materials
(cardboard, paper bags, woody prunings, straw, autumn leaves etc).

Very slow to rot Best avoided

• autumn leaves • meat, ish and dairy products
• tough hedge clippings • newspaper
• woody prunings • cooked food
• sawdust and wood shavings

Other compostable items DO NOT compost

• wood ash • coal and coke ash
• cardboard • cat litter
• paper towels, bags and packaging • dog faeces
• cardboard tubes and egg boxes • disposable nappies
• junk mail

Turn the page for more information

about these ingredients.

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Hints and tips
Autumn leaves
Store some dry leaves to mix with grass mowings and
other soft green materials. Make large quantities into
leafmould - stuff wet leaves into black plastic sacks
(loosely tied), or a wire mesh container. Use after a year
or two. Mow leaves on a lawn to chop and collect them up.

Grass cuttings
Compost ingredients such as grass
cuttings, comfrey leaves or young
weeds will turn into a slimy mess unless they are
composted together with some browner materials like
cardboard or autumn leaves. Grass cuttings can be left on
the lawn whenever possible, they will soon disappear and feed the
grass: this will not cause ‘thatch’. Alternatively they can be
used as a mulch on bare soil helping to retain soil moisture.

Diseased plants
Persistent diseases, such as white rot and clubroot,
are best avoided. A hot heap (see p. ), turned
several times should deal with everything else. Diseases
that don’t need living plants to survive - grey mould,
mildews, wilts - may survive in a slow, cool heap. But heat is not the only factor that
will kill diseases - the intense microbial activity will also help to dispose of them.

Perennial weeds
Some perennial weeds will be killed in a hot heap; avoid
really persistent horrors such as celandine, bulbous
buttercup, ground elder and bindweed. Don’t burn
or dump these weeds - they are rich in plant foods.
Mix with grass mowings in a plastic sack. Tie it up and
leave for a few months until the weeds are no longer
recognizable, then add to the compost heap.

Weed seeds
Weed seeds may survive a cool heap (see p. 0), but should
be killed in a hot one. If your compost tends to grow
weeds, dig it in rather than spreading it on the soil surface.
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Hedge clippings and prunings
Chop or shred tough prunings and clippings from
evergreen hedges before adding to a mixed compost
heap. Compost large quantities separately; even
unshredded they will rot eventually. Mix with grass
or other activating material; water well. Tread down
the heap, then cover. In anything from a few months to
years you will have a coarse mulch which can be used on
perennial beds.

Animal manures
Strawy horse and cattle manure composts well. Keep a sack on hand
to bulk up other ingredients. Manure mixed with wood
shavings should be left to rot until the shavings are
no longer visible. If it is dry, water well and mix
with grass mowings, poultry manure or other
activating material. When rotted use as a surface
mulch. Wood shavings incorporated into the soil
can lock up soil nitrogen, making it unavailable to
plants for a year or more.

Paper products
Newspaper can be added to a compost heap, but in any
quantity it should go for recycling into more paper (as
should good quality lat paper). Cardboard cereal or egg
boxes, and toilet roll tubes are useful compost ingredients.
Always scrunch up lat paper and card to help keep air in
the compost heap.

Kitchen and household waste

Fruit and vegetable peelings and uncooked food are good compost ingredients.
Meat, ish, dairy products and cooked food are more likely to attract rats and lies,
and so are best avoided. Cat and dog faeces can contain dangerous pathogens and
should not be composted at home. Likewise, coal and coke ash contains many
impurities and should not be composted.

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Choosing a compost bin

Compost can be made in a simple heap on the ground; covered with plastic
to keep it moist. Most people use some form of compost container. This looks
neater and easier to manage. Compost bins can be home-made or purchased;
low cost or expensive; tasteful or tatty - the choice is yours.

What is it made of?

A compost box should keep rain out, moisture and heat in.You
will ind ideas for making your own bin on the following pages.
Wood, preferably recycled, is the most commonly used material.
If you must use a preservative, choose a plant-friendly one. Most
bins on sale are plastic (often recycled); wooden and metal bins
can also be purchased.

How strong is it?

A sturdy container is essential. It will have to withstand battering
with forks and spades as you ill and empty it.

Gaps in the sides?

Opinions differ widely on this question, but most compost bins
have solid sides these days. Gaps in the sides of a container, said
to be essential to allow air in, in fact let the compost dry out at
the edges. Enough air is usually mixed into the heap as it is made
or when it is turned.

Weight
If you will have to lift the container off the compost, or move it
round the garden, make sure it is not too heavy. On the other
hand, if it is too limsy it may blow over, and will not last long.

Size
A volume of around 700litres [0.7 cu m/l cubic yard] is usually
suggested as a minimum for hot composting. Most bins on
the market are smaller than this - around 00 litres - which is good for cool
composting. Choose the largest container you think you can ill. Check the height
- some models are too tall for many people to use comfortably.

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They can be made of wood, plastic or other materials, preferably recycled. There
are various points, such as size and design, to consider when buying or making a
compost container. Above all it should suit you and your garden. Only then will it
be guaranteed a permanent place.

Lid and base

A rainproof lid is useful. It should also be easy to remove and
replace, and should not easily blow away. Compost boxes are
usually open at the bottom to allow the compost, which may
produce quite a lot of liquid, to drain.

Access
The top opening should be large enough to take a fork full of
green waste comfortably. For turning, or extracting inished
compost, a removable front is ideal; alternatively simply lift the
container off.

Where to put it
If possible, place your compost bin straight on the ground, rather
than on concrete or other hard surface. This allows for drainage
and lets worms move in easily. Don’t hide it in an inaccessible
spot down at the bottom of the garden if you intend to use it! It
should have space around it for storing and mixing ingredients,
and for turning the compost.You may choose to have a
permanent site, or to move the bin(s) around the garden. The
ground where a compost heap has been will be very rich.

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 Compost bins
Wire mesh with cardboard
Cheap and easy to make. Drive four
posts into the ground, then staple
wire mesh to them. Make it easy to
open one side for access. Line with
cardboard cartons, and top with a
plastic sack.

Old dustbin
Cut the bottom out of a large, plastic
dustbin; turn it upside down and
replace the lid.

Sectional wooden bin

Sections are stacked up, or removed
as required. Individual sections can
be made out of different widths of
wood. Easily moved.

Double New Zealand box

Two strong, static wooden boxes with
removeable slatted front. The second
bin can be smaller, to take the reduced
volume of material that is turned out
of the irst bin.

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Breeze blocks with wooden slatted
front
A sturdy bin can be built out of breeze
blocks. A wooden front that can be
removed makes for easy access.

Purchased bins
A good selection of bins is available
these days.Your local council may sell
them at a reduced price to encourage
home composting. A good selection is
available, mail order, from The Organic
Gardening Catalogue.

Compost tumbler
A compost tumbler is designed to be turned
every day. This regular mixing and aerating
can make compost in three to four weeks.

To obtain a compost bin from your local council please see www.recyclenow.org.uk

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Making compost

You can make compost simply by adding compostable items to a compost heap
when you feel like it. It may take up to a year to produce useable compost but it
doesn’t require much attention and you don’t need to turn the material.

Cool heap route

Cool Step 1
Collect together a batch of compost materials. Try to get enough to make a layer
of at least 0cm or more. Weed the garden, mow the lawn, empty the kitchen
bucket! Aim for a mix of ‘green’ ingredients like kitchen waste and ‘brown’ items
such as cardboard, egg boxes or woodier garden waste too. This helps to give the
heap some structure and maintains air within it, reducing the need for turning the
material. Go to Step , or call by Hot Step  if you have time.

Cool Step 2
Start illing the bin. Spread the ingredients out to the edges and irm down
gently. Alternate ‘green’ and ‘brown’ items, or mix them together irst. Unless
ingredients are already wet, water well every 0-0cm.

Cool Step 3
Continue to ill the container as and when suitable compost ingredients are
available. Items can be added individually, but a bigger batch is preferable; for
example, a batch of vegetable peelings from a kitchen caddy. Try to spread the
ingredients out to the edges. Go to Cool Step , or take a detour via Hot Step 
on the way if you feel like turning it...

Cool Step 4
When the container is full - which it may never be as the contents will sink as it
composts - or when you decide to - stop adding any more. Then either just leave
it to inish composting or go to Step 5

Cool Step 5
Remove the container, or everything from the container. If the lower layers have
composted, use this on the garden. Mix everything else together well; add water
if it is dry, or dry material in the sun for a while if it is soggy. Replace in the bin and
leave to mature (see p ).

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If you are in a hurry for compost or require an end product with few or no weed seeds,
then taking the ‘HOT HEAP’ route may be better for you. It requires more attention and
physical effort than the ‘COOL HEAP’ route, but the results may make it worthwhile.

Hot heap route

Hot Step 1
Gather enough material to ill your compost container at one go. Bring in
manure, scraps from the market, neighbours’ weeds and so on to make up the
bulk. Make sure you have a mixture of soft and rough materials.

Hot Step 2
Chop up tough items using shears, a sharp spade (lay items out on soil or grass
to avoid jarring) or a shredder.

Hot Step 3
Mix ingredients together as much as possible before adding to the container. In
particular, mix items, such as grass mowings that tend to settle and exclude air,
with more open items that tend to dry out. Fill the container as above, watering
as you go.

Hot Step 4
Within a few days, the heap is likely to get hot to the touch. When it begins to
cool down, or a week or two later, turn the heap. Remove everything from the
container and mix it all up, trying to get the outside to the inside. Add water if it
is dry or dry material if it is soggy. Replace in the bin.

Hot Step 5
The heap may well heat up again; the new supply of air you have mixed in allows
the fast acting aerobic microbes, ie those that need oxygen, to continue with
their work. Step  can be repeated several more times if you have the energy,
but the heating will be less and less. When it no longer heats up again, leave it
undisturbed to inish composting.

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Some questions answered
What is garden compost?
Compost looks like rich, dark soil. It is made of recycled kitchen and garden
wastes. It is used to feed and condition the soil and in making potting mixes.

Is it the same as multipurpose compost?

No. Sowing, potting and multipurpose composts, that you buy in garden centres,
are mixtures of various materials such as sand, coir and fertilisers. These are used
for raising seedlings and growing plants in pots.

Do I have to be an expert to make compost?

No. Composting just happens, it is nature’s way of keeping our planet clean. Just
follow the few basic rules in this lealet.

Is it a lot of work?
Making compost can be as easy as putting a few weeds and vegetable scraps onto
a compost heap, or you can put a lot of effort into it. It’s up to you.

How long does it take?

Compost can be made in six to eight weeks, or it can take a year or more. In
general, the more effort you put in, the quicker you will get compost.

Will a compost heap breed pests?

Compost is made by a host of small and microscopic creatures. These are not
pests and will not overrun your garden.

Do I need any special equipment?

A garden fork is the only essential item. A compost bin keeps everything neater
but it is not essential.

Does a compost heap smell?

A working compost heap should not have an unpleasant smell.

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Will a compost heap attract rats?
Rats may visit a compost heap if they are already present in the area. Don’t site
your compost heap too near water, visit it regularly, and avoid adding meat or
cooked food.

Is compost safe to handle?

Yes, if the usual garden hygiene rules are followed. Keep cuts covered, wash hands
before eating and keep your anti-tetanus protection up-to-date.

Will it attract lies?

As long as meat scraps are not put on the compost heap, it should not attract
houselies or bluebottles. Tiny fruit lies may be present in the summer if a lot of
fruit and vegetable peelings are added, but these lies are more of a nuisance than
a problem. They can be deterred by covering fresh materials with a thin layer of
soil, newspaper or inished compost.

Does a compost heap have to get hot?

No. A medium sized compost heap can heat up to 70°C in a few days. The heat
helps to make quicker compost, and to kill weeds and diseases. But your compost
may never heat up, especially if it is made over a long period. The compost can be
just as good, but it will take longer to be ready for use.

Does compost spread weeds and diseases?

Weed seeds, roots, and plant diseases are more likely to be destroyed in a
compost heap than in your garden soil. Some weed seeds and roots will survive
in a cool compost heap, and some diseased plant material is best avoided
altogether in a compost heap (see page ).

Do I need a shredder to make compost?

No. A shredder can be very useful where there is a lot of woody material to be
composted, but it is not essential.

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Using compost in your garden

When the compost is dark brown and has an earthy smell the composting
process is complete. It is then best left for a month or two to “mature” before it
is used.

How much to use

As a rough guide, use one wheelbarrow full of compost per ive sq m (six sq yd)
of ground. This should be ample for one season, or for a crop that likes a rich soil.

When and how

Compost should be applied in the spring and summer. It is either dug into the
top -0 cms (-in) of soil (no deeper) or applied as a surface mulch. It can be
spread over the soil, around established plants or spread out well over a lawn.
Compost can be used on all soils where feeding and conditioning is required.

Herbs
Use compost where succulent herbs such as chives, parsley and mint, which need
a good supply of food and water, are growing. Do not use on herbs that prefer a
poor, dry soil.

Shrubs
A compost mulch applied every three years should be ample for most shrubs.
Those, such as roses, that are pruned hard every year, may need more regular
feeding.

Herbaceous perennials
Mulch with compost
every three years if
required.

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Don’t worry if the compost is not ine and crumbly. It may be lumpy, sticky or
stringy, with twigs and eggshells still evident - but it will be quite usable. If you
want a iner compost, let it dry then put it through a coarse sieve.

Annual lowers
Do not apply compost if the soil is already in reasonable condition. Feeding tends
to encourage leafy growth at the expense of lowers.

Vegetables
The lion’s share of any compost should go to beds growing potatoes, tomatoes,
brassicas and other leafy crops, leeks, pumpkins and courgettes. If a crop rotation
is used this means that the whole vegetable plot will have received compost over
the course of the rotation.

Fruit
Strawberries: add compost to soil before planting.
Apples, plums, pears, cherries, redcurrants, gooseberries: mulch with compost
every four to ive years, more frequently if growth is poor.
Blackcurrants, raspberries and hybrid berries: mulch with compost every three
years.

Lawns
Top dress with ine compost in spring or summer.

Tubs and planters

Top up with a layer of compost each spring.

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Using more compost
Potting composts
Garden compost should be diluted with other ingredients if it is to be used for
raising seedlings or potting plants. For example, use two parts (by volume) of
compost with one part of loam/good soil and one part leafmould or coir.

Garden compost will vary in its structure and in the plant foods it contains.You
may have to experiment with different mixtures before you ind one that makes a
good growing medium.

Books and contacts

All About Compost, Pauline Pears, Garden Organic / Search Press
The Rodale Book of Composting, Rodale Press
Create Compost, Pauline Pears, Green Essentials - organic guides, Impact Publishing Ltd.

Garden Organic
Tel: (0) 7 0 7
[email protected]
www.gardenorganic.org.uk
www.homecomposting.org.uk

Recyclenow
Tel: 0  
www.recyclenow.com

Community Composting Network

Tel: (0) 0
[email protected]
www.communitycomposting.org
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