{"id":7303,"date":"2023-11-15T17:17:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T06:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/?p=7303"},"modified":"2024-01-02T14:53:34","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T03:53:34","slug":"composting-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/composting-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Composting Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Composting Tips for a Thriving Compost Pile\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Starting and maintaining a compost doesn\u2019t have to be hard. These 15 composting tips for beginners will help speed up the process, avoid common issues and boost your composting game.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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15 Composting Tips and Tricks\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There are so many reasons to compost at home. For starters, it\u2019s simple, fun and rewarding. What\u2019s more, it helps keep food waste out of landfill and creates a beneficial, nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden. What\u2019s not to love about that?<\/p>

Let\u2019s jump into our 15 home composting tips for beginners (and beyond).<\/p>

Compost Tip 1 – <\/b>Choose the Right Bin<\/b><\/p>

Your compost bin should suit your space, organic waste requirements and lifestyle. If you have a big backyard and produce loads of kitchen and garden waste, then a large backyard compost may be the right option for you. If you live in a small apartment and produce minimal waste, then you might opt for a bokashi bin. If you choose a bin that\u2019s too big (or small) for your requirements, it\u2019s harder to make the right conditions for thriving compost. Learn more about different compost bins.<\/a><\/p>

Compost Tip 2 – <\/b>Chop Larger Waste Up<\/b><\/p>

Whether it\u2019s garden waste or kitchen scraps, larger pieces of organic material will take longer to break down. Help your compost (or worms) along by cutting your waste up into smaller pieces.<\/p>

Compost Tip 3 – <\/b>Get the Right \u2018Brown\u2019 vs \u2018Green\u2019 Ratio<\/b><\/p>

A healthy compost will balance \u2018greens\u2019 (nitrogen-rich materials like fruit, vegetables and grass clippings) with \u2018browns\u2019 (carbon-rich materials like leaves, twigs, shredded paper and\u00a0certified home compostable packaging<\/a>). It\u2019s important to get this balance right, as too much of either can throw things off. Aim for two parts brown material to one part green material.<\/p>

Compost Tip 4 – <\/b>Avoid Pet Manure<\/b><\/p>

You might think it\u2019s a convenient place to dispose of your pet\u2019s business, but unfortunately, unhelpful parasites and bacteria can live in pet poo. This isn\u2019t ideal for your compost.<\/p>

Compost Tip 5 – <\/b>Shred Paper First<\/b><\/p>

Just like you should chop larger organic waste up, you should shred paper, cardboard, newspaper and certified home compostable packaging to help them break down quicker<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Compost Tip 6 – <\/b>Limit Ashes<\/b><\/p>

If you have a fireplace or firepit, placing your wood ashes in your backyard compost is a great way to dispose of it. But if you produce a lot of ash, you might want to limit how much you add, or just keep it to thin layers every now and then. Too much ash can increase the acidity of your compost and raise the pH, which can make it slower to decompose your materials (and even a bit smelly). There are certain types of ash, like charcoal ash, you may want to avoid altogether (BBQ briquettes are often infused with chemicals).<\/p>

Compost Tip 7 – <\/b>Limit Meat and Dairy<\/b><\/p>

It\u2019s a myth that meat, dairy, animal and fish products won\u2019t break down in a compost bin \u2013 they will. But many home composters choose to limit these waste materials because they can add odours and attract pests. These items aren\u2019t a no-no, you should just proceed with caution. If you compost meat and dairy, you may choose to position your compost bin away from the house.\u00a0<\/p>

Compost Tip 8 – <\/b>Aerate Your Pile Regularly<\/b><\/p>

Aerate or turn your compost pile every week to let some oxygen through and avoid the compost pile rotting. If you never aerate your compost, it can create an \u2018anaerobic\u2019 (without air) environment and become a stinky mess.\u00a0<\/p>

Compost Tip 9 – <\/b>Make It Moist, Not Wet<\/b><\/p>

Your compost bin should be moist, but not too damp or wet (when it becomes too damp or wet it can slow the decomposition process and cause odours). If you find your compost is too damp, ease off on the water. You can also add more browns to dry it out.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Compost Tip 10 – <\/b>Greens Create Moisture (But Too Many Greens Can Smell Bad!)<\/b><\/p>

As a general rule, the more greens you have in your compost (fruit, vegetables, tea leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells, grass clippings, plant cuttings), the more moist your compost will be. This means you may need to water it less. But don\u2019t forget your green vs brown ratio \u2013 if you have too many <\/i>greens and your compost pile becomes too wet, it can turn mushy, slimy and smelly.\u00a0<\/p>

Compost Tip 11 – <\/b>Too Many Browns Aren\u2019t Good, Either<\/b><\/p>

If too many greens make it wet and smelly, then browns can do the opposite. Too many browns can dry out your compost and it\u2019ll take longer to break down.\u00a0<\/p>

Compost Tip 12 – <\/b>Avoid Continuously Adding to Your Pile<\/b><\/p>

If you keep adding fresh material to a compost pile or bin, there will always be non-composted material mixed in with the good stuff. So once you mix enough material, avoid adding any more to allow the composting process to finish. It usually takes between 3 weeks and 3 months to get finished compost. Once you use the finished compost in your garden, you can start the process all over again.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Compost Tip 13 – <\/b>Avoid Industrially Compostable Packaging<\/b><\/p>

Any packaging or product that\u2019s Certified Industrially Compostable shouldn\u2019t be placed in your home compost bin \u2013 this should be sent to a commercial composting facility to break down. That\u2019s because commercial composting environments have more controlled conditions (including measured inputs like air, carbon, temperature and nitrogen), so they can break down materials that a home compost can\u2019t.<\/p>

Instead, always look for the Certified Home Compost Logo under the Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA). You should also look for the company\u2019s sub-licence number stated underneath. ONLY products that meet these requirements can be thrown in your home compost bin. Learn more about composting certifications.<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Compost Tip 14<\/b><\/p>

Avoid Herbicide and Pesticide Treated Plants<\/b><\/p>

Plants treated with chemicals, like herbicides and pesticides, can take longer to break down and contaminate your compost. Some chemicals might not even break down, meaning they\u2019ll be present in your final compost.\u00a0<\/p>

Compost Tip 15<\/b><\/p>

Choose a Spot Based on Your Climate<\/b><\/p>

If you\u2019re composting in a region that gets cool winters, you might choose to place your compost bin in full sun to help it heat up during the day. On the flip side, if you\u2019re in a warmer climate, you may want to place your compost bin in partial shade to avoid overheating.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Found These Composting Tips Helpful?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We hope these quick composting tips will contribute to a healthy, thriving compost pile in your backyard and create \u2018black gold\u2019 your garden will love.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Composting Tips for a Thriving Compost Pile Starting and maintaining a compost doesn\u2019t have to be hard. These 15 composting tips for beginners will help speed up the process, avoid common issues and boost your composting game. 15 Composting Tips and Tricks There are so many reasons to compost at home. For starters, it\u2019s simple, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recycling-composting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nComposting Tips \u2013 Quick and Easy \u2013 Compost Connect<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Composting isn't hard. These 15 composting tips will help speed up the process, avoid common issues, and boost your composting game.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/composting-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Composting Tips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Composting Tips for a Thriving Compost Pile Starting and maintaining a compost doesn\u2019t have to be hard. These 15 composting tips for beginners will help\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/composting-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Compost Connect\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/compost.connect.global\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-15T06:17:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-02T03:53:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/CompostConnect_Blog_HeaderImages_10.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Team Compost Connect\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Team Compost Connect\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Composting Tips \u2013 Quick and Easy \u2013 Compost Connect","description":"Composting isn't hard. 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