Making Compost Heaps and Leaf Mould

 

 

We are all advised now to re-cycle and most of us have a “brown bin” for kitchen/green waste collection. By making a Compost heap we can use this very same material , along with other bulky green waste items that tend to fill the in rather quickly like grass cuttings, contents of summer hanging baskets/pot, as well items from your “green” re-cycling bin like newspapers /cardboard. Brown & Green bin collections have historically been free, but times are changing so starting a compost heap could save you money twice – less on bin collection and great free compost for your garden.

 

The Bin:

Buy or make? Whatever you decide there is one for you. Some council provide either free or subsidised versions, so check your local council before you buy. You can buy easy to slot together ones or even tubs on a frame with a lid that you can tumble (mixing heaps will speed things up, and great if you’re stuck for space.) I decided to build a large one with old pallets, but any old wood could be used to construct a square to keep things tidy. At the end of the day that is the main purpose of the structure – keeping everything together and tidy. It would work just piling all your compostable material in a big heap, but it would also take longer.

The Contents:

For best results, and to speed things up, it’s best to have a mix of about 50% nitrogen rich and 50% carbon rich materials in the heap. As mentioned earlier you can speed things up by both mixing the materials as you put them in the compost heap, so you don’t get a whole load of grass cuttings put in together (will just go into slime!) or by turning your heap so that everything is mixed up – putting what was on top on the bottom and what was on the inside now on the outside. A bit of work but will seriously speed up the process. An added benefit will also be if you find the heap a bit dry you can add water, if wet add some dry material.

Nitrogen Rich List!

·       Urine

·       Comfrey leaves

·       Nettles

·       Grass cuttings

·       Poultry / Farm Yard manure

·       Tea leaves/bags & coffee grounds

·       Soft green pruning’s

·       Vegetable peelings (uncooked!)

Carbon Rich List!

·       Cardboard/egg boxes/cereal boxes/ cardboard tubes

·       Paper/newspapers – not glossy magazines

·       Woody clippings/wood shavings/sawdust

·       Contents of H/Baskets, pots etc.

·       Hay/Straw – hay can cause grass when used as seeds don’t die  even in hot heaps

 

Items to use sparingly List:

·       Wood ash

·       Crushed egg shells

·       Wool/cotton etc. only if 100%

Don’t Use List

·       Meat / Fish

·       Cooked foods

·       Coal ash

·       Cat or Dog litter

·       Disposable nappies!

Location:

Best location is near where you intend using it! It’s heavy to transport. Sunny or semi shaded position, that’s away from wells/streams. Best on soil rather than cement/paving ( before anyone asks or comments I put mine on cement for easy of location , but will stain it and no access to natures helpers , worms etc. . but you can add those that will help speed things up. A cover will stop things getting too wet and will help heat retention.

Your compost is ready when the material has turned dark brown and has an earthy /soil smell rather than a compost heap odour. Can take from two to three months and up to a year to depending on how often you turned it – or if you turned it! Any un composted woody bits can be picked out and put back in for next time .Ideally you would need a number of heaps on the go at the same time, one to fill, one to use and one maturing given the time required to compost everything right but we don’t all have that space , so we’ll have to make do …

Leaf Mould -

This is like a compost heap, but just for leaves. Usually constructed by wrapping a portion of chicken wire around four wooden stakes. Leaves are then collected and placed in the heap around this time of year. If not turned, will take a year to break down/compost but you’ll have the most wonderful compost/leaf mould that will be fine enough for seedlings! A small amount of grass cuttings can be added, but generally I don’t personally do this.

Hope you all try to start one, and until the next time – Happy Gardening