Composting
Turn your kitchen and garden waste into ‘black gold’ compost!
Composting breaks down organic matter, which is anything that was once living, which recycles the vital nutrients to improve the quality of your soil.
Did you know that up to half of the waste thrown out by the average Australian household is organic material!
Of course you can put your organic waste in your green council bin to be collected and turned into mulch and other products, or you can set up your own garden composting system and make your plants healthier and can take your gardening effort to the next level. Here are some tips to get you started.
Starting your Compost
Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds.
Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
Add manure, green manure or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
Cover with anything you have – wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain. The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden.
Turn. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning “adds” oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material like straw. Once you’ve established your compost pile, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion. If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly.
Maintaining your Compost
Maintain Your Compost Bin.
To get finished compost more quickly, check your compost bin and make sure the following conditions are met:
When you add fresh material, be sure to mix it in with the lower layers.
Materials should be as wet as a rung-out sponge. Add dry materials or water – whichever is needed – to reach this moisture level.
Mix or turn the compost once a week to help the breakdown process and eliminate odour.
Compost Troubleshooting
My compost isn't working.
What is wrong?
Could be one of several things: 1. Not enough nitrogen. Make sure you have enough nitrogen rich sources like manure, grass clippings or food scraps. 2. Not enough oxygen. Mix up the pile so it can breathe. 3. Not enough moisture. Mix up the pile and water it with the hose so that there is some moisture in the pile. A completely dry pile will not compost. 4. Cold weather. Wait for spring or compost in a bin or cover the pile.
When can I put scraps in?
Do I have to wait until the older ones are decomposed?
You can put scraps in the top on a regular basis as well as taking from the bottom. You need to turn your compost weekly and it is best to turn compost prior to putting in scraps. this ensures that your recent scraps do not end up in the bottom of your compost bin and allows them to compost.
Should I put worms in the compost bin?
There is no set amount of worms needed for a compost bin. You can compost successfully without worms. Worms are however an excellent addition to your compost bin or heap and are an indication that your compost is working extremely well.
There are a lot of bugs / insects in my compost. Is that normal?
This is not a problem it is part of the normal composting process.
My compost doesn't have heat.
What can I do?
You do not necessarily need heat, if you have plenty of bugs it is working. For the pile to heat up you need to cover and leave for awhile. If you turn your compost weekly and add layers of straw, shredded paper and the occasional cow or sheep manure then it should work fine.
My compost smells.
What can I do?
Not enough carbon. Add brown materials like leaves, straw, hay or shredded newspaper.
Ask the Compost Doctor
Do you have a question about your compost?
We have the answer to some commonly asked questions.
Can’t find an answer, message the Compost Doctor for help!
This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority initiative funded from the waste levy.
An initiative of the Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils, including the councils of Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Greater Hume, Junee, Lockhart and Temora and Riverina Water County Council and Goldenfields Water County Council.
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