Home composting is the most environmentally friendly thing to do with
your kitchen and garden waste. The composting process turns unwanted
waste such as grass cuttings and vegetable peelings into a nutrient rich
food for the garden. By composting at home you can greatly reduce the
amount of waste that goes to landfill.
Compost bins are available to purchase at a discounted rate from Gloucestershire County Council. Please visit the get composting website or call 0844 571 4444 for more information.
Your guide to getting started with home composting
Find the right spot
Place your compost bin in a reasonably sunny site and on bare soil.
Add the right ingredients
Fill your compost bin with ‘green’ and ‘brown’ waste. ‘Green’ waste includes garden waste such as grass cuttings, old flowers and annual weeds, along with kitchen waste like vegetable peelings, fruit cores and tea bags. It is important to also add ‘brown’ waste to the compost bin. This includes materials such as paper, cardboard and straw. Do not add cooked food, meat or dairy products to the compost bin.
Fill it up
Fill your compost bin up to the top. Maintaining a balance of approximately 50:50 greens and browns will keep the conditions perfect in the compost bin and produce the ideal finished product.
It can take between nine and twelve months for compost to become ready for use. Keep adding material to the bin to top it up throughout the course of the year.
Ready for use
The compost will be ready for use when it has turned into a crumbly, dark material, resembling thick, moist soil and it gives off a fresh, earthy aroma. The compost can be used to enrich borders and vegetable patches, plant up patio containers or to feed the lawn.