Gardening: Homemade for the Most Sustainable Garden Compost! Part 1

Composting is a wonderful activity that benefits people, our environment, nature and wildlife! Composted grass cuttings, prunings, and vegetable peelings added back into the soil makes a nutrient-rich environment for plant growth. Composting saves time and energy and is an easy way to get rid of garden or kitchen waste. It is cost-efficient; there is no renting a green bin or paying to have green waste taken away. Plus, composting garden and kitchen waste reduces the amount of materials sent to landfill. Together, we can, by recycling our green waste, make something that will improve our lives, help the environment and enrich our soils.

There is room for a compost heap even in a small garden. Home-made compost bins can be custom fitted to utilise any awkward angles or areas. Wormeries are small and compact yet very productive and fit in the smallest gardens.

Many people are without a garden and would love to donate their kitchen waste to initiatives for community composting that will benefit people and the environment. Why not ask about starting up a compost heap within the community, connecting with neighbors to teach children about gardening, sustainability, and nature?

Want to construct a compost bin? Pallet wood is an ideal material to create a compost bin; they’re widely available and usually free. To make a wooden compost bin last longer, line it with the plastic from empty compost bags.

There are also brick composters. I think this an exceptional idea; as compost is added, simply add more bricks around the periphery. Brick-built composters can fit into any available space; you create the shape and size yourself. Brick composters reflect a personal and unique design.

A wide range of home composters for small gardens are available for purchase. Fairly compact composters have been designed to be placed on a paved area or an area of hard-standing in a small garden.

Smaller still, a wormery takes up very little room; this method of composting is far easier to accommodate in a small garden and is the best option for balcony gardens. There are many styles of composters and brands of wormeries available to gardeners at building and farming retail stores. Check local farmers’ markets or gardening centers also for a hands-on approach.

There are beautiful compost bins! There are unfinished homemade compost bins that have been designed to resemble bee hives. Both homemade and shop-bought compost bins can be an attractive feature in the garden. Aside from compost bins disguised as bee hives, a compost bin that simply bears the look of being made with love will undoubtedly be beautiful. Why not grow a climber, (perhaps a clematis or the drought tolerant, ivy – Hedera helix – which is happy growing in sunshine or shade) over and around a compost bin to enhance its aesthetics?

What type of composter is best? There is a wide range of composting methods, including: 1) A wormery – ideal for small gardens, patios, and balconies; 2) Aerobin 200L Home Composter – a fastacting compost bin that doesn’t need turning – designed for a patio or area of hard standing; 3) Hotbin is a hot composter that enables high temperature composting, from 104°F to 140°F; 4) Rotating compost bins – for any type of level ground – fast-acting but ensure you have sufficient space to be able to house the composter and turn the compost. There are also 5) Homemade compost bins constructed from pallets made to fit any size or shaped space – these are quick to make and affordable; 6) Plastic dalek bins are widely available and sometimes given away – pop this compost bin in place and you’re ready to go! Lastly, 7) there is the open compost heap, which is best suited to larger gardens.

When setting your compost heap, ensure easy access to the composter to add kitchen peelings and garden prunings. Avoid starting an open compost heap too close to a fence or too close to a door or window. If a compost bin is nearer to the home, make a lid or cover for the compost heap, or consider purchasing a ready-made compost kit that comes with a lid. Place the compost heap in a shaded spot, on a paved area, or somewhere that is not as good for growing crops. Deep shade, shade, partial shade, and sunshine – all have been successful spots.

Compost bins made from pallets are traditionally sited on the soil. Some shop-bought home composters are designed to be sited on a patio or hard surface. Choose a permanent location for your compost heap. It’s better to delay siting your compost bin and find the ideal spot than to have to move your compost bin at a later date; it is incredibly heavy when full.

Erect a compost bin this week, and next week, we will look at what materials can be added to a compost heap.

Merry Christmas!