How to Start a Composting System in your Back Garden
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Inside: Want to learn how to start a composting system in your back garden? Check out these simple steps to follow to create your own organic compost!
Whether you are a keen gardener or simply want to do a little grow your own, one thing you will need is compost. This is the rich black soil that we put into pots to grow plants of all kinds and is richer and better for the plants than normal soil. Now most of the time, it is easy to grab compost from the garden centre or a number of other places.
But there is another, cost effective way to get a supply of compost. It takes a little while to set up but once you have it running, then you will have a constant supply of quality compost. And you cut down on other waste to make it.
Let’s see how to start a composting system in your back garden!
What is composting?
At its heart, composting is taking waste such as kitchen scraps and letting them decompose naturally to create nutrient rich soil to use for plants. It is at the heart of eco friendly gardening! Often the process is given a little boost to make it happen a bit quicker than it would in nature.
The result is a rich humus that helps with nutrients to boost the plants and also is good for soil moisture levels. There’s as much as 30% of household waste can go into a compost bin and this means it isn’t going to landfill. Not only that but it can decay in a way that doesn’t create methane gas that harms the environment – which often happens when it goes to landfill.
So composting is good for the environment and your garden. A win-win situation! Let’s get started.
What goes into a compost bin?
I mentioned that as much as 30% of household waste could go into a compost bin but it is worth studying what that 30% is because it isn’t just any old rubbish.
The important thing when composting is to maintain a healthy carbon-nitrogen ratio. Or another way is a brown-green ratio as it is also referred to. Examples include:
- Carbon-rich – branches, stems, dried leaves, bits of wood, bark and sawdust, shredded brown paper, egg shells, straw, peat moss and wood ash, paper egg cartons, newspaper, shredded junk mail
- Nitrogen-rich – (also known as protein rich) manure, food scraps, green lawn clippings, kitchen waste and green leaves, coffee filters and grounds, bread products, vegetable and fruit scraps, flat beer (not that you see much of that around here!)
The aim is to have more carbon than nitrogen – a good guide for when you start composting at home is to have one third green (nitrogen) to two thirds brown (carbon). The brown materials let the air flow through, and this feeds the organisms that break down the waste and create the compost.
Too much nitrogen and you get a stinking pile of decomposing rubbish that doesn’t help your garden. But get the right balance and you have odours floating away on the breeze and healthy compost left behind.
What doesn’t go into a compost bin?
What to put into a compost bin is important but so too is what not to put into one. There are some things that just don’t work. Examples include:
- Bones and meat leftovers
- Fats and oils from cooking
- Dairy products like milk and cheese
- Pet waste from cats and dogs
- Weeds or plants that have any sign of disease
- Any garden waste that has pesticides or herbicides in them
- Treated or painted wood
Choosing the right bin for your back garden
The first thing you need (well, apart from stuff to put in it) is a compost bin when you start composting in your back garden. There are lots of different types so there’s something that suits all sizes of garden – and even some that are ideal if you only have an apartment with a balcony.
Outdoor Tumbling Composter
The tumbling composter is a clever eight-sided dual chamber composter that lets you mix the compost elements together but only needs to be turned 5-6 times every two or three days. It can produce compost in sunny conditions in as little as two weeks.
There are two composting chambers within the barrel and the holes mean air can flow easily. It is made from strong BPA-free plastic and will not deteriorate under sunlight.
Upright compost bin
If you have a little limitation on your space, this upright, rectangular compost bin is an ideal one. It has ventilation that can be adjusted seasonally and has a three phase system to let the content be aerated and moved by gravity.
There are both filling flaps and also removal flaps with snap-on wind protection to stop it blowing open. There’s also a hinged lid with a ‘lock’ that stops animals getting in.
Classic compost bin
The final style is the more classic type of compost bin that does need a little more room to use. This style has a snap on lid that means it is easy to lift and add the waste then four doors to easily get the compost out.
It has plenty of holes to allow air to flow on all sides and on the door and is made from BPA-free plastic.
4 steps to start a composting system
Once you have chosen a compost bin or other system to put your waste into, you are ready to get started. There are four basic steps to a composting system:
Layering > Watering > Turning > Repeating
Add around 6 inches of brown matter to the bottom of the bin then add 2-3 inches of green matter. Add water until it is moist but not soggy – think like a damp sponge. Repeat this and turn. The more you turn, the quicker you will get the waste to break down and the compost to form.
You can tell when compost is ready when it looks a bit like the stuff you get in bags from the garden centre. It should have a loamy consistency and a nice earthy smell. It can take anywhere from two months to a year to get a consistent supply.
Common composting issues
As with everything, sometimes composting systems don’t work. There are a few common reasons this might be and often you can solve them by identifying the problem. Three common examples are:
- Compost is really smelly – that means you aren’t turning it enough so there’s not enough air getting into the mixture. Sometimes it might mean too much water. Add some brown material and turn frequently
- Compost isn’t progressing – this is usually because it is too dry so add more green waste and some water then get turning
- Compost is slimy – this is too much moisture so stop watering, add more brown material and you guess it, turn more!
A simple composting system
Composting in your back garden might seem a bit complicated but really it isn’t. Once you learn what to use and what to avoid and get a basic system in place, you will have a regular supply of compost for your plants or to boost the nutrients in your garden. And much less waste going into your rubbish bins!
