[LeanneN]

So I thought I would give making my own compost a go. I’ve ordered a compost bin and have already started saving cardboard and food waste in my kitchen caddy/compostable bags. I have looked up what can and can’t be composted but I’m a little confused on some things. Like cereal, do you think unused fruit and fibre cereal could go in there? What about the box? I’ve read not printed but then others say it’s ok? Also, what about flour, out of date fresh packet fruit/juices, out of date frozen veg/fruit and tumble dyer lint? Anything else that may seem unusual but can go in? Sorry for all the questions but I want to get it right and not waste what I can 😊

[mumofstig]

Like cereal, do you think unused fruit and fibre cereal could go in there? What about the box? I’ve read not printed but then others say it’s ok?

I think these would be fine. Any paper/cardboard is ok except for the glossy stuff.

flour, out of date fresh packet fruit/juices, out of date frozen veg/fruit and tumble dyer lint?

I wouldn't add these, to my heap, IMO they'd just make nasty claggy/mouldy lumps. The lint would be mostly polyester fibres which wouldn't compost, but any 100% natural fibre cloth, wool or cotton etc will rot eventually, but may take a while - it depends how long you leave the compost to rot - or if you just leave the 'not quite rotted' stuff in for another year.

[LeanneN]

That’s great thank you 🙏🏼
I’ve got some dead branches/twigs from the privet I had cut down, would they be ok chopped up? Is there any greenery/soil that can’t go in?

[mumofstig]

The privet will be ok any really woody bits may take a bit longer to rot, but the younger growth rots down quite quickly
I wouldn't add the roots of bindweed, couch grass or nettle to the bin, unless they have been left to die off first.

[polo71]

We make our own compost using a 3 box system the boxes are 1m x 1m x 1m  and we can make just short of 1t a year. We put nearly all garden waste in there all the kitchen raw veg waste grass cuttings hedge trimmings non shinny cardboard leaves. What we don't do is put cooked food or raw meat / fish in it although I have read you can if you wanted to.
The best tip is using a garden shredder the smaller the waste is the quicker it will decompose also grass cuttings they add loads of nitrogen and therefor heat we aim to get to 60 /70c for at least a week so it will kill off any seeds in there.

Forgot to add we also put ant spent compost out of pots / tubs in there too, You can also use spent soil direct to the ground as a soil conditioner.   

[Yorkie]

All really good points above.

In a standard compost heap, definitely avoid any cooked food, dairy, meat or fish.  It will attract rats.

Grass clippings are good, but don't put too much in at once.  Basically, for a decent compost heap you need a mix of green (sappy growth type stuff, veg peelings) and brown (harder wood, cardboard etc) type of stuff.  They need to be mixed together.  If you put too many grass clippings in at once, it becomes a sludgy mess because the air can't get into it.

If you go to the 'Articles and advice' tab on the main website and put compost in the search box on the right, you'll get lots of suggested links.  Here's a list of some of the main articles, including one on How to make compost.

[LeanneN]

Thank you all, you’ve really helped me a lot 😁 I have lots of cardboard ready - mainly from all the new garden supplies I’ve been ordering 😆 at least 3 bags of raw veg, egg shells, emptied tea bags, banana skins and mushrooms skins so far! All I need now is the bin, which is taking longer than expected to arrive unfortunately 🤨

[jezza]

Hello just a word of advice if your new compost bin is a black/green  dalek type drill quarter inch holes at an upward angle to let air in otherwise you'll end up with a bin of smelly damp mush, if you can get comfrey leaves or nettle tops (not flowering)add them to every 6 inch layer of material they soon warm compost heaps up   jezza