How composting could help save the planet

Did you know that composting could help the fight against global warming?

Incredibly, home composting for just one year could save global warming gases equivalent to all the CO2 your kettle produces annually, or your washing machine produces for 3 months.

On top of that you will get a nutrient-rich food product for your garden that will help improve soil structure, maintain moisture levels and keep your soil's pH balance in check while helping to suppress plant disease.

The good news is home compost is pretty easy to make.

There are different types of composting but for beginners it is recommended you start with just a standard compost bin. You can get these from some retailers or order a discounted one from www.letswasteless.com

What can I put in a compost bin?

The key to making good compost is to get a good mix of green and brown items. If your compost is too wet add more browns, if it is too dry add more greens. Air is essential to the process so give it a good stir to create air pockets.

Green items you can put in your bin include grass cuttings, tea bags, Vegetable peelings, coffee grounds old bedding plants and horse manure. Brown items you can put in include crushed egg shells, garden prunings, twig and hedge clippings, straw and hay, sawdust, wool and shredded paper.

You should not put in cooked vegetables, meat, dairy products, diseased plants, dog poo, cat litter or nappies.

In about 18 months your compost will be ready. You can use it on flower beds as mulch, around trees, in pots and containers, for growing herbs and vegetables and on your lawn.

You can find a full list of ingredients for your compost bin and more advice at www.letswasteless.com

What if I can’t compost at home?

Evesham Journal:

We know home composting is not possible for everyone. That’s why we offer our affordable and convenient garden waste collection service.

It costs just £49 a year if you pay by direct debit. You will receive a 240 litre brown bin which is collected every fortnight throughout the year. Just put your brown bin at the edge of your property on your set collection date and we will do the rest.

In your brown bin you can put grass cuttings, hedge and shrub clippings, leaves, twigs and bark, plants and weeds, cut flowers and small quantities of windfall fruit. A full list of what can and cannot be accepted is available on our website.

Evesham Journal:

All garden waste is taken away to the household waste site at Hill and Moor near Throckmorton to be turned into compost, which is then sold for a variety of uses. About a third of the garden waste sent to the site goes back to the public to be used on gardens or allotments, a third is used in agriculture and a third in engineering and soil applications.

You can sign up for the service online at www.wychavon.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Evesham Journal: