Composting in the garden calls for a different approach from composting kitchen waste in a wormery. The volume of material needing to be composted is often much greater for a start, that's where our range of Garden Composter Bins come in.

Composting is natures way of dealing with waste. Just as fallen leaves, rotten fruit, twigs and all other natural matter composts back to rich soil enhancing humus in woodland then you can compost your garden rubbish, newspaper, cardboard and vegetable peelings into rich organic matter that can be used to feed all areas of your garden. This means you put less rubbish out for the bin men, avoid expensive trips to the local tip and reduce the need to buy expensive composts from garden centres. Saving you time and money and saving the environment by using less fuel and chemical additives often used in making commercial composts.

Step one     Siting your bin

Find an easy accessible level spot on open soil or grass, this lets all the fluid out and the worms in. If you compost bin is in the sun this will speed the process up. Remember site the bin where it is convenient to get at especially during the wet dark winter months.

Top Tip - The fluid that comes out of your compost bin is a great plant feed. Don’t be afraid to move your bin around the garden from year to year. Try putting it in the centre of your vegetable or flower plot. 

Step two     What goes in

Good compost is a mix of materials that re rich in Nitrogen- green plants, grass, vegetable peelings etc, and Carbon - twigs, straw, paper etc.  Fill your compost bin with a mix of the above, its best to give the contents of the compost bin a stir every time you add more waste.

Top Tip – In a domestic situation the best form of carbon is paper and cardboard. If you are worried about identity theft then shred your confidential paper work and mix into your compost. Worms can’t read or reach the cash points!!!

Step three   What not to compost

While all organic material will compost there are somethings best not to put into a compost bin. These are cooked foods, dairy products, meat & fish scraps. All of these can be dealt with using different methods such as womeries and kitchen waste composters.

The reason that these items don’t want to be in your compost bin is that they may attract vermin. Also avoid composting perennial weeds like dock, thistle or weeds with seed heads.

Non organic matter like plastic, glass, tin cans will not compost and need to be recycled separately.

Top Tip – Ask your shop keepers to supply products in paper, cardboard or corn starch packaging these can all go into your compost bin. 

Step four    The process

Good mix means good compost. If your bin is well layered with mixed ingredients and physically stirred then the result will be good useable compost. It will take between 10-18 months to make compost depending on the type of material being composted and the location of the bin.

Top Tip – Don’t worry compost ‘Happens’ even if you haven’t the time or energy to stir your compost regularly, it will just take longer. If you want to speed things up, human urine is a great activator, but remember don’t fall into the bin !!!

Step five     The finished product

You have stirred your mix, waited patiently and now ready to claim your prize. Finished compost should be dark brown in colour, crumbly and smell like damp wood. That’s the perfect situation, what really happens is when you empty your bin the bottom of it will be lovely crumbly compost with the contents getting more lumpy as you get to the top. This is natural as the compost at the bottom has been there the longest. When emptying the compost bin only use the bottom 2/3 put the top 1/3 back in to start the process off again.

Dig the compost into your soil to give it a nutrient boost and help its ability to maintain moisture.

Top Tip – Sieve the content of your compost bin and use the fine material as a bedding mix for sowing seeds and bringing seedlings on.