Buy A Compost Bin At A Bargain Price And Get Composting!
Garden and kitchen waste make great compost and Derbyshire County Council sells a range of compost bins at discounted prices to encourage residents to give composting a go.
This is an ideal time of year to get started. The summer months bring a ready supply of grass cuttings for many and these mixed in a compost bin or heap with other garden waste and drier materials like dry leaves and newspapers will become compost. This compost provides rich nutrients which will improve soil and help grow healthy plants – including fruit and veg. It helps to improve water quality, protect the environment and reduce the use of shop bought fertilisers, pesticides and compost which can be costly.
Councillor Simon Spencer Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure said:
“To encourage more of our residents to start home composting we offer a range of compost bins at discounted prices to help with the initial set up costs.
“And once underway composting will save people money on garden products and protect the environment.
“It transforms uncooked kitchen and garden waste through a natural process and reduces the amount of waste that we need to collect from households.
“This benefits everyone as we all need to help cut the annual £37.2 million waste disposal bill paid for by Derbyshire council tax payers”.
Anyone who doesn’t want to buy a compost bin could still start home composting by creating a simple heap of garden and kitchen waste in the corner of their garden.
There are a lot of myths about composting with many thinking it is difficult, time consuming and smelly! But with just a bit of know how it can be simple and a real money saver. Here some of the common myths are dispelled and advice given on how to make composting hassle free:
Myth: I don’t do any gardening so I’ve nothing to compost.
Fact: You can compost all sorts of things – not just garden waste. Vegetable and fruit peelings, tea bags, coffee grinds, toilet roll inners, cardboard egg boxes, old kitchen paper and even dust from your vacuum cleaner can all be composted. It doesn’t have to be garden waste!
Myth: It’s a hassle having to put stuff in the compost bin every day especially in winter
Fact: You don’t have to do it every day. If you keep a food waste caddy in your kitchen you can fill it up with things like vegetable peelings, tea bags and eggshells. Then take it out to the compost bin every three or four days and it never smells. You could also use an old ice cream tub or other containers as a waste caddy.
Myth: It’s hard work and all too often it just turns to mush.
Fact: Mush is easily avoided! You just need to get an even mixture of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ – too many grass cuttings (greens) will make it mushy, too many sticks, twigs and dry leaves (browns) from the garden will mean it won’t break down. Compost bins placed in sunny areas will normally produce compost more quickly.
Myth: You have to turn the contents of your compost bin regularly or it won’t work
Fact: Although turning the contents regularly will speed up the composting process it isn’t crucial – it is going to happen anyway! It is more important that you get the balance of ‘browns’ and ‘greens’ right. And the good news is that there are easier ways of making sure you get enough air flow in your bin by creating a few air pockets. Materials such as scrunched-up corrugated cardboard, cereal boxes, egg boxes or cardboard tubes should do the trick.
Myth: I will get over whelmed with compost!
Fact: No you won’t! The waste reduces right down as it composts so you are unlikely to produce too much. As well as digging it into your soil and using it in pots it makes a great mulch to suppress weeds and protect against drought. And in the unlikely event of finding you have too much you can always give it away to friends, family or neighbours.
Questions and answers:
Where should I put my compost bin?
Ideally place your compost bin in a reasonably sunny spot on bare soil. This will provide the right environment for the microbes and insects that convert your waste to compost and enable the aeration and drainage which help the process along.
What can I put in my compost bin?
You want to get a 50/50 mix of things like vegetable peelings, tea bags and grass cuttings (greens) and eggshells, cardboard, dry leaves and twigs (browns).
Green
• Vegetable peelings, salad leaves and fruit scraps
• Old flowers, pot plants and bedding plants
• Tea bags
• Coffee grounds and filter paper
• Young annual weeds (e.g. chickweed)
• Grass cuttings
• Fine cut hedge cuttings
• Straw and hay
Brown
• Corrugated cardboard, cereal boxes, toilet roll tubes
• Scrunched up newspaper
• Shredded paper
• Used kitchen paper and paper bags
• Dry leaves, twigs and clippings
• Ash from wood, paper or lumpwood charcoal
• Bedding from vegetarian pets
• Egg shells
• Cotton wool
• Vacuum dust
• Hair
How do I use the compost in my garden?
You can use it on flowerbeds by digging a 10cm layer into existing soil prior to planting or by spreading a thin layer near existing plants. Or you can use it to enrich borders by spreading a 5cm layer over existing soil, leave gaps around soft stemmed plants.
Compost can also be used as a mulch. Spread a layer 5cm thick around plants, shrubs and trees. Just leave a gap around delicate plants so it doesn’t touch them. You can also mix with your compost with soil or leaf mould for potting plants in.
To buy a compost bin at a discounted price and for more information: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/composting
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