Living more sustainably is something many of us are concerned with and it’s one reason why home composting has seen a resurgence in recent years. Not only does it help recycle food, garden and some household waste, it gives your garden soil a powerful natural nutrient boost.
The trick is knowing what you can and can’t put in the mix to achieve the perfect balance. Adding the wrong materials to your compost bin could make the resulting mixture lacklustre at best, or toxic at worst.
A good compost heap needs a combination of carbon and nitrogen to make a well-balanced, nutrient rich product. Carbon materials are often referred to as ‘brown’ and nitrogen as ‘green’ which makes it easier to work out what you need.
Carbon materials that are useful to add include:
- Paper, paper towels and cardboard
- Brown autumn leaves
- Hay and straw
- Sawdust and wood chippings
- Tea bags
- Wood ash
- Nut shells (except walnuts)
- Eggshells
- Cotton fabric
- Fluff from the tumble dryer filter
- Old coir from hanging baskets
For the nitrogen element you can add things like:
- Coffee grounds
- Fruit and vegetable peel/scraps
- Grass cuttings
- Green houseplant or garden waste
- Seaweed
- Human hair (yes, really)
The correct ratio of carbon to nitrogen is hotly debated. However, a general rule of thumb is to add two parts green material to one part brown.
As much as you might want to recycle everything there are some items that it’s best not to throw on the compost heap because they may prove harmful or attract pests. These include:
- Dairy products
- Baked goods
- Citrus peel
- Cooking fat/oil
- Pet faeces
- Onions
- Meat or fish scraps
- Charcoal
- Diseased fruit, vegetables or leaves
- Anything treated with pesticides
Even with those exceptions, composting can be a really effective way of recycling waste and doing your bit for the planet.
If you want to know more about how to start composting, there’s some great advice for beginners in this Facebook video posted by The National Botanic Garden of Wales featuring local gardener Adam Yn Yr Arth (featured in Life Seeker Issue 23).
Happy composting!
