Composting

Compost is organic waste which has been broken down by bacteria. It is ideal to help garden plants grow lush and healthy, saving you money on shop bought fertilisers.

Setting up a compost bin

1. Place in a sunny spot on soil or cardboard.
2. If your bin is on concrete, start with compost, soil, shredded paper or twigs to attract worms, slugs and other insects.
3. You're now ready to start composting!

What goes in a compost bin?

Greens: wet and soft waste items like vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, grass cuttings, weeds and old plants, coffee grounds, filter paper and tea bags

Browns: dry, hard things like cardboard, vacuum cleaner contents, sawdust and the droppings from vegetarian pets. 

The best compost is around a 50/50 mix of greens and browns.

What about other waste food?

You can still get rid of it by investing in a food waste digester such as a bokashi bin. These will break down the food that cannot be put into a normal compost bin into a free fertiliser for your garden. You can purchase bokashi bins and other types of digesters from the get composting link at the top of the page.

What about autumn leaves?

Leaves can be put in a compost bin but they can give the bin a bigger percentage of brown waste, reducing its effectiveness.

Make leaf mould instead

1. Put leaves into a plastic bag, punch small holes in the side, and leave sealed for a minimum of twelve months.
2. After one year the leaf mould will be mulch and is ready to use as a top layer of soil in your garden.
3. The longer it is left, the better the compost.

Composting volunteers needed

Become a master composter with our composter volunteer scheme and spread the word about the benefits of composting.

Grab a discount if you live in County Durham 

We've teamed up with Great Green Systems to give County Durham residents a discount on compost bins.