Damon Mcknight
Composting is an excellent way to save money on fertiliser for your garden and help save the planet. In Australia, food scraps in landfills account for 3% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. To start composting, you'll need to choose a compost system and build or buy a compost bin. Worm farms and traditional compost bins are the two main types of systems. Worm farms break down scraps quickly, while bins are better at breaking down acidic scraps. Once you've chosen a system, you can either build your own bin with timber planks or buy a plastic compost bin from a garden centre or hardware store.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Compost bin type | Worm farms, traditional bins, Bokashi bins, tumbler bins, pallet bins |
| Bin placement | Flat, well-drained area with direct contact with soil; sunny or shady location depending on type of bin |
| Bin construction | Plastic, timber, wire mesh, steel, recycled materials |
| Compost ingredients | Vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea leaves, coffee granules, plant offcuts, grass cuttings, fallen leaves, cardboard, paper, eggshells, dry leaves, twigs, shredded newspaper, torn-up egg cartons, poultry manure, rock dust, lime, food scraps, garden waste |
| Compost avoidance | Meat, wheat, dairy, oily or fatty waste, baby nappies, diseased plants, weeds with seeds, man-made materials (plastic, metal, glass) |
| Maintenance | Regular turning and aeration, moisture and nitrogen levels, temperature and decomposition control |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a location for your compost bin
It is also beneficial to place your compost bin in a shady spot, as this will prevent the compost from drying out too quickly. If you are using a stationary bin, a sunny location is preferable as warmth speeds up the decomposition process.
When selecting a location, it is also essential to consider accessibility. The back corner of your garden can be a good option as it is screened off from view but still easily accessible. Additionally, if you are using a pallet compost bin, you will need to choose a space with level ground to ensure stability.
When setting up your compost bin, it is also a good idea to bury the base to prevent rodents from getting in. This will help ensure that your compost bin is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and discreet.
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Building a compost bin
Choosing a location
Location is important when setting up a compost bin. It should be in a nice, flat area that is well-drained and in direct contact with the soil. This allows organisms that help break things down to have easy access to the compost. It should also be in a shady spot, especially during the summer, to prevent the compost from drying out too quickly.
Sourcing a bin
You can either build your own compost bin or buy one. To build your own, you will need some timber planks, a saw, and a drill. You can also use plastic compost bins, which can be sourced cheaply from most garden centres or hardware stores. Another option is to use recycled timber pallets lashed together with wire or rope ties.
Preparing the bin
If you are using a plastic garbage bin, turn it upside down and cut a large, circular hole in the base. Dig a hole that is the same width as the bin and about 150mm deep. Place the bin upside down and backfill. If using pallets, stand them upright to form a box shape and secure them together at the corners. Cover with an extra pallet or a tarpaulin to keep out birds and other animals.
Filling the bin
Fill the bin with a mix of green and brown organic waste. Good things to include are vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea leaves, coffee granules, plant offcuts, grass cuttings, and eggshells. Avoid putting meat, dairy products, oily or fatty waste, and diseased plants in the bin. For every quantity of fresh green waste, add twice as much dry waste, such as twigs, dry leaves, or shredded newspaper. The ideal ratio is 1/3 green stuff (nitrogen) to 2/3 brown stuff (carbon).
Maintaining the bin
Regularly turn and aerate the compost to help it break down faster. You can use a compost crank or a garden fork to do this. Add a handful of poultry manure or blood and bone every second week to boost nitrogen levels. Sprinkle a little rock dust to provide micronutrients and get the worms working. Once a month, add a handful of lime. After two to six months, your compost should be ready to use!
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What to put in your compost bin
When it comes to what you put in your compost bin, it's important to get the right mix of materials. This includes "green" and "brown" waste. Green waste includes fruit and vegetable scraps, used tea, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, grass clippings, green plant cuttings, old flowers, and some weeds. Brown waste includes things like straw, paper and cardboard, dry leaves, woody prunings, and sawdust (but not from treated wood).
It's important to avoid putting the wrong things in your compost bin, such as meat, dairy products, oily or fatty waste, baby nappies, diseased plants, and any man-made materials such as plastic, metal, or glass. Also, avoid putting in avocado seeds, pineapple tops, twigs, and other woody items unless they are crushed or chopped beforehand.
To get the right balance of green and brown waste, a simple rule of thumb is to add twice as much dry waste as fresh green kitchen waste. Dry waste can include grass clippings, twigs, dry leaves, shredded newspaper, and torn-up egg cartons. It's a good idea to keep a container of dry material next to your compost bin so that it's ready to add whenever you put in food scraps.
You can also add some extra materials to boost the nitrogen content and speed up the composting process. Once a week or so, add a handful of poultry manure or blood and bone, sprinkled onto a dry layer. A little rock dust will get the worms working and provide some micronutrients. Once a month, add a handful of lime.
If your compost is too wet and sludgy, add some more brown waste. If it's too dry, add some green waste or a sprinkling of water. It's important to get the right balance of moisture and air, so regular turning and aeration are key.
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What not to put in your compost bin
It is crucial to put the right organic waste in a compost bin, but it's even more important to avoid putting the wrong stuff in there. Meat, dairy products, and oily or fatty waste will decompose eventually, but they will smell bad and attract pests. Therefore, it is best to avoid putting them in your compost bin unless you are using a well-functioning, closed-bottom compost bin.
Similarly, avoid putting fish bones in your compost bin. They can be added to the bin but only if it is working efficiently and quickly. It is best to mix them through the heap, rather than leaving them on top, as they can smell bad and attract pests.
Some other things to avoid putting in your compost bin include diseased plants, pet droppings (except for chicken manure), avocado seeds, pineapple tops, twigs, and other woody items. Also, do not put glossy paper, weeds with seeds, treated timber, and large branches in your compost bin.
It is also important to avoid putting anything man-made in your compost bin, such as plastic, metal, glass, or any labels.
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Maintaining your compost bin
Firstly, it is important to monitor the air, water, and food levels in your compost bin. Compost microbes require both carbon-based and nitrogen-based foods, often referred to as "browns" and "greens". A good compost mix has a ratio of 30:1 carbon to nitrogen, but this can be lowered to 10:1 if you turn the pile more frequently. To ensure your compost has enough air, you can use a compost crank or garden fork to aerate the pile once a week. You can also create breathing spaces in the pile by layering compost ingredients and "teasing" them, or fluffing them up, to prevent the layers from compacting.
Secondly, be mindful of what you put in your compost bin. Vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea leaves, coffee granules, plant offcuts, grass cuttings, fallen leaves, cardboard, and eggshells are all great additions to your compost bin. However, avoid putting any meat, dairy products, oily or fatty waste, baby nappies, diseased plants, or weeds in your compost bin, as these can attract vermin and take longer to decompose.
Thirdly, consider the moisture content of your compost bin. If you are experiencing a particularly wet spell, cover your compost with a tarp to prevent it from getting too soggy and losing nutrients. On the other hand, if your compost is too dry, you can add some greens or water it when necessary.
Lastly, if you are using a stationary bin, place it in a sunny and well-drained location to speed up the decomposition process. Bury the base of the bin to prevent rodents from getting in.
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Frequently asked questions
You can either build your own compost bin or buy one. If you want to build one, you'll need a standard 60L basic plastic garbage bin with a lid. Cut a large, circular hole in the base, then dig a hole in the ground that's as wide as the bin and about 150mm deep. Place the bin upside down in the hole and backfill. You can also make a compost bin with timber pallets.
Choose a nice, flat area that is well-drained and in direct contact with the soil. It should be in a shady spot, which is critical in summer to prevent the compost from drying out too quickly.
Vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea leaves, coffee granules, plant offcuts, grass cuttings, fallen leaves, cardboard, scrunched-up paper, and crushed eggshells are all good things to include. The perfect combo is one-third green stuff that makes nitrogen and two-thirds brown stuff that make carbon.
Meat, dairy products, wheat, oily or fatty waste, babies' nappies, diseased plants, plastic, metal, glass, and any labels should never go in your compost bin.
It's important to aerate your compost bin regularly using a compost crank or garden fork. You should also turn the compost once every week to 10 days. After two to six months, your compost should be ready to use!
