Our speakers on Monday 17th February were Shropshire Master Composter Rachel Strivens and Bridgnorth-based Paul Pickerell, restating the message on COMPOSTING FOR BEGINNERS. Rachel first visited us in March 2022 when we had our first lesson in turning green garden garbage and brown brash into BLACK GOLD. (The report of that visit can be found in Monday Night Musings here.)
Rachel and Paul are volunteer members of GARDEN ORGANIC, the National Charity for Organic Gardening, and funded by Veolia, which works to promote heritage seeds and the research and experiments achieved by their members.
Now we are paying for our green collection, it should force us to reconsider how we dispose of our garden waste. If you do not compost already, perhaps because it seems too complicated: have no fear and read on. This talk was all about demystifying the magic and, by explaining the ‘science’, show how easy it will be to start.
THE FIVE MAIN ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL COMPOSTING ARE:
- which bin and where?
- heat
- air
- water
- food
- Which bin?– This is very much dependent on your budget. They can range from £25.00 for the Dalek, to several hundred pounds for the Hotbin (really for the more expert) and in between are the DIY with pallet panels, and wooden bins formed into bays with air slots between the boards. If you are a beginner, choose the cheap method; this is a good place to start. Position the bin on soil so that the worms can begin to colonise. Consider placing a mesh panel between soil and bin so nothing else can decide to make a home there. Also consider where the bin will be most convenient to access when loading with garden waste or accessing the final compost.
- Heat – The bin should be positioned where it can obtain some warmth from the sun, but not too much so that the worms don’t cook. Be aware the developing compost in the bin will also produce its own heat, particularly in the summer months.
- Air – The composting process is aerobic and so there is therefore little requirement to turn the heap, but the process will be speeded up if you always chop/shred and turn/stir. Air is a biproduct of the breakdown of the brown waste – see ‘Food’.
- Water – The addition of water should not be necessary, certainly if you have a lid on your bin, as water is provided by the green waste. The ‘squeeze’ test will guide you if water is needed to be added at any time.
- Food – Now this is where the alchemy starts! Getting the right mix is by combining BROWN CARBON-RICH waste and GREEN NITROGEN-RICH waste, in a ratio of 50%:50% in layers.
Good sources of BROWN components are: autumn leaves, straw, used kitchen paper and shredded paper, cardboard, sawdust, newspapers and junk mail, egg boxes and pressed paper trays.
Good sources of GREEN components are: grass mowings*, soft prunings and plant debris, nettles, annual weeds, hay, coffee grounds and tea leaves (not with their plasticised bags), vegetables and fruit waste.
For the kitchen waste, adopt the practice of chopping/shredding everything at source, and likewise the garden waste. The metamorphosis will certainly be speeded up. Chopped up egg shells and wood ash (though not if with coal) will add minerals to the mix.
Cooked food waste should never be added to the bin, and this includes pasta, liquids, bones, meat or fish in any form. This practice will attract vermin and flies.
COMMON PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
- Grass mowings* should be layered between cardboard or similar to prevent a wet, soggy mass forming.
- Difficulties in shredding – place material on ground and run over with the mower, particularly if this includes thick, woody elements; dry leaves respond well to this treatment.
- Too wet – probably too much material in large pieces. Adjust and improve mix ratio.
- Too dry – probably too much undifferentiated leaves/stalks. Adjust and improve mix ratio.
- Ants – usually too dry. Add water.
- Rats – this particular wildlife like to run along borders/fences. Position bin away from your boundaries, and give bin a good kick when passing! But please remember that all wildlife has a place here and a part to play to provide benefits and balance in your garden.
Rachel was asked for her personal choices for bought compost. She is a great user of Melcourt, and also the various John Innes products which she mixes with her own product in a ratio of one bucket per square metre.
Whilst she says that everything can be composted, she does exclude diseased plants such a leeks with rust, and similar, so something to watch out for. She mentioned other activities which she says take too much effort when she can be more usefully working for example conifers and evergreen prunings can be turned into ericacious compost for the camellias and rhododendrons by thorough shredding and setting aside in bags for two years! Hmm.
Another high attention and effort task is the treatment of pernicious weeds. These should be drowned first by macerating and then left in a bucket of water to rot down before we add them to the compost bin. Or left on a tarpaulin to dry out. Another hmm, I think.
These last two suggestions are for the really ardent compost maker. I think life might be too short. However, if compost-making is of real interest and you would like to become a Master Composter, Rachel’s organisation would be pleased to hear from you. They organise online tutorials and courses, and would train you to go out and spread the word to organisations like ourselves. The contact information is rhphillips-street@gardenorganic.org.uk .
Hopefully I have done as it says on the tin and demystified and explained the process enough to stir your interest. NOW GO OUT AND CREATE SOME MAGIC.
Linda Ashman
If you would like to contact Linda please get in touch using the contact form on our website and we will forward your enquiry on to her. She is happy to answer any of your queries.