Helpful hints for starting a compost heap

Plants get most of their nutrients from compost, which is simply decomposed organic material in the soil. After you have a compost heap set up, making compost at home costs you nothing. Here’s how to get started.

Depending on your preferences and the materials you have on hand, building a compost heap in your garden can be simple and inexpensive.

• Work out the most convenient spot in your garden. If possible, locate it near the kitchen, so that it is handy for the disposal of food scraps.
• Use recycled materials such as brick, stone, lumber or plastic. For example, an old plastic garbage bin is an easy and economical option. Just cut the bottom out, press the bin into the soil and keep the lid to cover it.
• To aid drainage and provide access to soil organisms, position the bin on a level, well-drained area so it is in contact with the earth.
• If you're making your own, build a four-sided structure that is at least 1 metre (3 feet) high and open at the top. Make sure that one side is easy to remove so you can turn the heap and remove finished compost.
• If you decide to buy a compost bin, consider a plastic tumbler. It's a drum that aerates the compost very effectively when it is spun round. A full tumbler produces good-quality compost quickly. If you regularly dispose of large amounts of material, buy a large one.
• Make sure your compost heap, tumbler or bin is in the shade during the day because it shouldn't dry out too rapidly, nor should temperatures become so high that soil organisms can't survive.

• Alternate layers of carbon-rich "brown" materials (e.g. straw, hay, dried leaves, sawdust, shredded newspaper and shredded cardboard) with layers of nitrogen-rich "green" materials (e.g. animal manure, grass clippings, fresh leaves, prunings, tea bags, coffee grounds, and vegetable and fruit peelings).
• Don't compost meat, grease, cooking oil, dairy products, dead animals, pet feces, diseased plants, or plant material that has been treated with herbicides or other chemicals.
• Don't compost invasive weeds that are going to seed. Although a hot compost heap will kill most seeds, it's best to be on the safe side and throw them out.
• Use a shredder to chop up leaves and thick prunings before adding them to the compost heap. Shredding helps to increase the surface area of the materials, making them more accessible to decomposing agents.
• Avoid packaged compost "accelerators" or "activators" – they usually give a quick fix of nitrogen that won't last long and is of little benefit. Instead, use organic sources of nitrogen such as grass clippings or manure.
• Add manure from animals such as horses, cows, goats, pigs, sheep and chickens, but avoid dog and cat droppings, as they may contain pathogens or wormicides. Age manure before adding it.
• Boost your compost by adding a few shovelfuls of finished compost from the previous heap. Manure and comfrey leaves are also good boosters. Or add an infusion made from 1 kilogram (2 pounds) of chopped nettles and 10 litres (2 gallons) of water, turning the heap with a spade or fork to add air.

Setting up a compost heap is a great way to keep organic matter out of the local landfill and put to productive use in your garden.