Composting
Peat Free Compost
The sale of peat-based compost will be banned in the UK by 2024 to protect peatland and the natural environment.
Advice on peat free alternatives can be found on the RHS website.
One of the easiest and cheapest alternatives is to make your own at home.
Composting at home
What is compost?
A way of reusing natural material from your garden to turn it in to a source of organic matter that can be put back on your garden to improve the soil and help conserve moisture.
Composting is a very beneficial process which can save waste from going to landfill, reduce the need for artificial fertilisers and help your garden thrive. Along with being good for helping plants grow it can provide a habitat for a range of beneficial microorganisms and bacteria in the soil.
- the importance of soil (Source - the Soil Association)
- 10 billion of tonnes of carbon is stored in UK soils
- it takes 500 years to make an inch of soil
- trillions of litres of water are stored in UK soils
- soil provides 95% of the food we eat
- and is home to quarter of all Earths species.
There are many guides on how to start your own compost heap, either buying a compost bin or making your own:
- Eden project composting tips
- RHS composting guide
What sort of thing can go in my compost?
- vegetable kitchen waste
- grass & garden clippings
- woody materials - wood chips, straw
- shredded paper and cardboard
- dead leaves can be added to your compost heap but if you have lots, these can be placed in a biodegradable bag and left to compost. The bag will keep the leaves in one place. It will decompose as the leaves rot and will leave you with a nice pile of compost that can be used in the garden.
What not to compost:
- cooked food
- coal
- meat
- fish
- dairy
- cat litter
- dog poo
- diseased plants
- weeds
- invasive species.
Composting tips
- ensure there is a good mix of items within your compost to provide a wide variation of nutrients in the compost. It should be 70% garden cuttings / grass cutting / vegetable peelings and 30% woody materials / paper
- the compost needs to be mixed every so often - be careful when mixing especially in winter - there may be animals hibernating in there
- the smaller the items you put in to your compost bin, the quicker it will decompose and make soil. It can take 6 months to 2 years to make your compost depending on the size of the material you put on the top of your heap and the conditions in your heap
- using your compost - once you have a dark brown, crumbly compost with no signs of the plants or food waste you originally put in, then it can be used as a mulch around plants or dug in to your soil
More details on all waste collections in South Ribble.