(image via Apartment Therapy)
If you’re not making compost by now you’re missing out on one of the easiest, most rewarding methods of recycling around. Now is the perfect time to get involved, with Compost Awareness Week running from 2-8 May and a plethora of web-based resources at your fingertips.
Why compost?
Composting might seem a bit unnecessary considering that you can buy bags of it ready-made at any garden centre, but the environmental benefits of making compost out of your kitchen waste are vast. In a landfill air circulation is hampered and methane gas is released during decomposition which is harmful to the environment. In an above-ground compost pile or bin oxygen allows the compost to break down releasing hardly any methane which is much more environmentally friendly. The organic matter produced will be a great plant food rich in nutrients and act as a water-retentive layer and a protective mulch. It will also be peat-free, which is another environmental benefit.
The Can O Worms is an ideal size for getting started.
Give It a Grow
The theme of this year’s Compost Awareness Week is ‘Give it a Grow’ – extend your recycling and composting into new activities such as growing your own fruit and vegetables or starting a wormery. You could also think about trying out new things in your composter – scrunched up paper, vacuum cleaner contents and shreaded leaves and green waste are all suitable for composting and will reduce your contribution to landfills even further.
A cute kitchen compost bin means you won’t forget to sort kitchen waste every day.
Top Tips for Composting
1. Start off small – not only in terms of the volume of your compost bin but also the contents. Shred leaves and paper, break up food waste and crumble egg shells. This will make decomposition quicker.
2. Water, water, water – compost needs water to speed up the process, so water little and often for the best results
3. Toss and Turn – dig in with a fork or trowel to turn the compost and break it up. If you don’t have a lot of strength go for a small compost bin or two bins you can split the compost between.
Books available from Garden Organic
Resources
For more information, advice and tips try:
1. Home composting at Recycle Now
2. Garden Organic composting pages
3. BBC compost gardening guide
4. Your local government website
