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You’ll know when your compost is ready

The Wrigglers #compost #cartoon – when compost is ready it’ll smell like a damp woodland

It’ll take between six months and two years to become crumbly, dark and smell like a damp wood.

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If most of your bin has turned into compost, you could use it and put the bits that haven’t into your new starter mix. Or leave it a bit longer.

Creating a good compost mix, is creating the perfect conditions for microorganisms to begin breaking down the waste – to produce heat and speed up the composting process.

Nitrogen comes from lush, green material such as:

  • Grass clippings
  • Annual weeds
  • Fruit and veg peelings
  • Nettle leaves
  • Teabags

Carbon comes from brown material, such as

  • Prunings
  • Hedgetrimmings
  • Paper or newspaper (loosely scrunched up is best)
  • Cardboard
  • Straw

For every bucket load of green material, you need to add the same volume of brown.

Here’s more from the experts: Everything you need to know about making compost …

Gardener’s world – how to make compost

@TheMontyDon @Kate_Bradbury

Mr Plant Geek: WTF is composting?

@mr_plantgeek The WTF Gardening series, takes common gardening terms and explains them for those who are new to the world of plants

The RHS have a video to watch

@The_RHS – Rebecca Bevan @GreedyGreenBean

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Some info on Green and Brown waste

Nitrogen-rich waste (green):

  • Grass clippings
  • Annual weeds
  • Fruit and veg peelings
  • Nettle leaves
  • Teabags

Carbon-rich waste (brown):

  • Prunings
  • Hedgetrimmings
  • Paper or newspaper (loosely scrunched up is best)
  • Cardboard
  • Straw
  • Sawdust
  • Pet bedding
  • Paper towels
  • Paper bags

Also add:

  • Eggshells, natural fibres (wool or cotton), wood ash (not too much)

Don’t add:

  • Diseased plants
  • Perennial weeds
  • Cooked food
  • Citrus (slow to rot and very acidic, which reduces worm activity)
  • Raw meat
  • Dairy products
  • Gloss or colour-printed paper
  • Ash from coal fires
  • Cat or dog faeces
  • Autumn leaves – these are best used to make leaf mould

#compost #composting #greenwaste #brownwaste #flower #nature #gardening #garden#art #wildlife #cartoons #thewrigglers

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