Ooh-ar! Compost It! (Composting in general)

Member Name: blackjane

Product:	Composting in general
Date:	01/06/01 (120 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for the Environment, Give the refuse collectors a break!, Satisfaction of a job well done

Disadvantages: Require patience

Making Compost

Now that I live in a house with a reasonably sized garden rather than a small concrete covered back yard I feel that it is only right that I should do my bit to help the environment. So, rather than generating half a dozen bags full of grass clipping every time I mow the lawn, I recycle it in a composter.

Step One:

Buy a composter - although this isn't necessarily required if you want to take the budget route. I bought a 220 litre composter from B&Q for under £30, however, if you want to save your pennies, then an old plastic dustbin would suffice. If you do take the budget route you will need to remove the base. This is because the compost, when ready, will have rotted from the bottom up and will not be accessible otherwise.

Step Two:

Keep a bucket into which you should place suitable kitchen waste ie: salad and other vegetable waste, although NOT any waste meat products. Fish is fine to use however, and has the added advantage of annoying the local cats as they will be able to smell it but will not be able to get their dirty paws on it! Ensure that you empty the bucket into your composter, ideally every day, to prevent any creatures (including rats) taking a liking to your leftovers. I keep mine in the garage so that it is out of the way. Egg shells are also ideal for adding to your composter.

Step Three:

Add garden waste, such as grass clippings and leaves. Do not add large amounts of soil, although small amounts will help the process. Shredded newspaper is also a useful addition in order to give an improved texture to the final compost.

Step Four:

Remember to turn the compost occasionally. This will help the process along and to produce a finer and richer end result.

A few other things to bear in mind:

If you use any 'weed and feed' type additives on your lawn, ensure that you wait at least six weeks before you begin to use the grass clip
pings for your compost again.

There are methods whereby compost can be produced more quickly, although I prefer the simple and straightforward method. The main disadvantage is that it can take up to six months to start producing a usable compost.

Compost is produced when bacteria break down the material, typically producing a final material that is approximately one third of the orignal amount. This process produces quite an amount of heat (up to 160 degrees Farenheit), which is also helped along the way when the sun shines on your composter.

The great thing about compost is that within a year or two, the waste material that is produced from your garden produces should mean that it is self-sustaining and you shouldn't need to buy any more bags of compost from your local garden centre any more.

Making your own compost is very much worth the wait. As well as knowing that you are doing your bit to help the planet it can help to save you money in the long run too, once you have made enough material to cover the cost of any initial investment.

{An original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

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