Home Composting

Kitchen and garden waste makes up 30% of household rubbish weight.  Much of this can be turned into a regular source of free compost.



Why not start a compost bin?

Composting will REDUCE your household and garden waste.  The compost when RE-USED in your garden will RECYCLE nutrients back into the soil and plants, and RESTORE the natural structure and fertility of your soil.

Transport and Technical Services provide low price, purpose built home composters.  They're available from most garden centres for only £10.  These are easy to install and help to make composting as easy as possible. If you are of a practical nature a home composting unit can be constructed from spare materials such as wood, old pallets, bricks, breeze blocks or chicken wire. Check your gardening books as many have design ideas.

Your compost bin needs to be sited on bare earth. If possible provide some simple drainage beneath with some woody material or large stones.

What can you compost?

YES	NO
Fruit and vegetable scraps	Meat or Fish
Tea bags and used ground coffee	Pet droppings
Egg shells	Dairy products
Cooked vegetables	Vacuum cleaner contents
Grass cuttings	Timber, plastic, glass or metal
Leaves	Tough woody material
Weeds	Perennial weeds
Dead Plant material	Diseased plants
Small amounts of cardboard and kitchen roll

Once you have filled your bin mix the contents occasionally and keep it covered. It takes anything from 3 to 12 months for the compost to be ready but you should end up with a dark brown soil-like material which is usually removed from the bottom of the bin allowing you to add new material to the top.  Download our home composting guide (PDF 2MB)

Where can I buy a subsidised  home composter?

Belles Fleurs Nursery                            
Bonny's Country Garden                                                            
Garden Scene Nursery
JCD Garden Designs
Le Quesne's Nurseries
Longueville Garden Centre
Ransoms Garden Centre
St Peter's Garden Centre
Stanley's at Holme Grown

How do I use my compost ?

For more information and helpful tips about using compost, download our compost use guide or go to Recyclenow.

Having problems with your compost?  Need advice?

If you need advice about compost why not ring the Home Composting Helpline on 448448.

For more information about Genuine Jersey Soil Improver and Mulch go to our Buy Recycled page.