Recycle your kitchen and garden scraps!

It’s easy to set up a garden composting system at home! By using kitchen scraps and garden matter, you can create your very own “Black Gold”.

Spreading compost in your flowerbeds helps the soil retain moisture and suppress weeds. It also reduces the need to use chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

Here are ECH Horticulturalist Dean’s simple tips on how you can start composting:

Pick The Ideal Spot For Your Compost Heap Or Bin

Bins are ideal for smaller spaces! Place the bin on a level, ensuring excess water can drain away quickly. It also makes it easier for worms to get in and break down the contents.

Put The Right Stuff In

You can compost vegetable peelings, fruit waste, eggshells, teabags, pruned plants, fallen leaves and grass cuttings. Cardboard egg boxes, and scrunchedup paper, are also good. These decay slowly, providing fibre and carbon and allowing air pockets to form.

Do not put meat or dairy products into your bin. No diseased plants, and no dog poo or cat litter or babies’ nappies. You will get unwanted pests and smells. Do not compost perennial weeds or weeds with seed heads. Composting is not suitable for plastics, glass, and metals.

Get The Balance Right

The mixture should not be too dry or too wet and should also have enough air. Make sure you turn the contents regularly. Compost needs the right balance of green and brown material. Brown material consists of shredded paper, leaves and straw while green is grass clippings and veggie scraps. Aim for two parts brown and one part green.

Getting The Best Out Of Your Compost

Your compost is ready once it’s dark brown or black, a spongy-textured soil-like. The compost will always smell sweet and earthy.

HAVE YOU GOT A WINNING GARDEN?

Whether you have a small garden, patio spread, pot cluster on your balcony or are involved in a communal garden, we would love to see it! To enter, send us a photo at keepconnected@ech.asn.au of your blooms and make sure to include your category: small garden, large/communal garden, patio or balcony.

Competition closes 30 March 2023 and the best garden in each category will win a $150 EFTPOS card. The winners will be announced in the June 2023 magazine.