How to make your own compost heap (and troubleshooting tips)
Making compost is a great way to cut down on waste whilst boosting the nutrient intake of plants and supporting wildlife – and there's no better time to get started.
'Autumn is the perfect time to start a compost heap, as the garden is generating waste from all directions,' says Laura Nicholson, head of tools & hardware buying at B&Q. 'You'll find plenty of material to compost, including old bedding plants from borders and containers, crop debris from the vegetable patch and greenhouse, moss raked from the lawn, and fallen leaves from trees.
'Avoid thick, woody materials unless you run them through a shredder first. For the best results use a proper compost bin to keep the heat in.'
Create a purposeful, nutrient-rich compost heap in your garden with these simple steps...
What is composting?
Garden clippings and kitchen peelings contain nutrients that can be used by plants, but they have to be well-rotted before plants can absorb their nutrients, so gathering them in a pile helps them break down more quickly. Composting is the speeding up of the rotting process.
Plants and foodstuffs are broken down by worms, bugs and bacteria. For these bacteria to survive they need water and air. If there’s no room for air, they can't do their work. This is also the case if there's no water, so you may need to water your compost heap if it gets dry.
As the bacteria get to work, the compost heap becomes hotter and this in turn helps the bacteria to work more quickly.
What are the benefits?
'Compost enriches soil naturally, improving its structure and providing essential nutrients,' explains Dan Reynolds, an ecology expert from Thomson Environmental Consultants. 'Regularly turning and aerating compost speeds up decomposition, attracting earthworms and other decomposers vital for nutrient cycling and soil health.
'Additionally, the warmth generated in compost heaps offers excellent habitat and breeding sites for species like slow worms, grass snakes, and small mammals as they seek shelter for the colder months. Autumn is a perfect time to start composting, as it helps manage seasonal garden waste and supports wildlife through the winter.'
Where do I put my compost heap?
You don't need a container to make compost but it's helpful to keep compost neat in a bin, which will also retain the heat. There are lots of compost bins on the market but one with a removable side will make it easier to turn the compost and then get it out when it's ready.
As you want worms and bugs to get in, put the compost heap on soil rather than paving or concrete, so they can go in through the bottom. If you have to put it on a hard surface, add a spadeful of soil at the bottom to introduce some creatures.
Compost heaps shouldn't be smelly, so if yours is, it's probably not getting enough air and the bad bacteria has taken over. Even so, it's best not to place it next to where you relax and lounge in the garden.
How to make a compost heap
To make a compost heap, include anything that contains nutrients. Avoid meat; it needs higher temperatures to break down and a garden-sized heap may never get hot enough. Also, meat is thought to attract rats and foxes.
A good mixture is key. You need solid things, like twigs, to bulk up your compost and let air in, and squishy things, like green leaves and grass, to get the bacterial process underway. Too much solid and it will never break down, too much squishy and the smelly bacteria will take over and you'll end up with silage. No more than half should be soft green things such as grass or green leaves.
How to compost
It should take about six months to a year until you get brown, crumbly compost. Turn it once a month with a garden fork to make sure air is getting to the bacteria. More often, and the temperature won't have a chance to build up. Water the heap if it looks dried out.
How to use compost
Compost is a soil improver and provides nutrients to plants' roots. You can put a layer on top of the soil and it will leach down gradually into the deeper layers, or you can dig it into the earth around the plants' roots.
What to put in a compost bin
YES:
Twigs
Shredded paper (not shiny paper)
Small pieces of cardboard
Cotton and wool fabrics
Uncooked veg trimmings
Tea bags
Annual weeds; tops of perennial weeds
Old bedding plants
Dead leaves
Soft hedge and lawn clippings
NO:
Big bits of woody material; cut up or shred first
Synthetic fabrics
Meat or bones
Perennial weed roots (even tiny bits of roots like bindweed may survive and infest your garden)
Soil pests such as weevils or wire worms
Diseased plant material
Dog or cat waste.
Troubleshooting
• Problem: After a year, some of the compost is dark brown and crumbly, while in other places it hasn’t rotted down at all.
Solution: Take the good compost out and use it; leave the rest to continue breaking down.
• Problem: Slimy/smelly compost.
Solution: This indicates too much water and not enough air. Introduce more woody material if you can, including paper and cardboard, to allow more air in and make sure the heap is protected from rainwater.
• Problem: Compost not rotting down.
Solution: You can buy commercial accelerants but if you add more green waste and make sure there's water, it should start to break down on its own.
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