Composting

How to make compost at home

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. By layering Brown and Green ingredients (see table below), you can create healthy, well-balanced compost to add to your garden/green space. Mixing carbon with nitrogen matter activates the mycobacterial process enabling organic matter to effectively break down. Think of it as the brown feeding the green.

• To make your own compost bin, start with an area of 1 cubic metre with a wooden surround, wooden palettes make great compost bins walls.
• Or use a standard plastic compost bin with a lid.
• Alternate adding layers of Green Nitrogen (kitchen and green garden waste) with Brown Carbon (torn up newspaper or cardboard). This should be 50:50 in volume.
• Keep it moist by adding water but avoid making it soggy.
• Keep it covered.
• Turn it occasionally, the more you turn it, the quicker it will break down, but once or twice over 6-9 months is enough.
• After roughly 9 -12 months your compost should then be ready to use. It should smell earthy, like a forest floor.

 

Most organic matter can be composted although woody prunings must be shredded or chopped small. Avocado stones and skin, onion and citrus skins take longer to break down. Composting is an aerobic process and when done properly will not smell. If your compost bin starts to smell, add torn up cardboard.