Composting
Adding
compost to a garden improves the soil structure whilst returning
valuable nutrients to the soil, adding moisture and retaining
humous. Best of all, compost is recycled from garden and kitchen
waste so not only is it free, but the process also disposes of
unwanted rubbish.
Many everyday waste items from your home can also be
added with your garden waste to your composter. At least
30% of your household bin could be composted!
To make the best compost, it is important to try to balance the
'green' items and 'brown' items. The following table gives you some
examples of each type. Further items can be found at the related
links.
|
Green items
|
Brown items |
| grass cuttings |
egg shells (crushed) |
| fruit scraps and vegetable peelings |
cereal boxes |
| old flowers |
toilet and kitchen roll tubes |
| tea bags and coffee grounds and filter paper |
garden prunings |
| pong algae and seaweed (in moderation) |
bedding from vegetarian pets |
| spent bedding plants |
vacuum bag contents (if you have natural fibre carpets) |
All Hertfordshire Councils are in partnership with wrap, which
provides resients with discounted composters. For details on how to
order a composter and the types of subsidised composters available
see the related links.