TOPICAL COMPOSTING TIPS

In summer our compost bins should be working at their best.
Sun and warmth encourage the micro-organisms that do the composting for us to work fast. So make sure your home compost bin gets some sun during the day.

If the weather is hot with little rain the contents of your home compost bin may become too dry. The heat will evaporate the moisture from the bin and most of the garden waste you put in will be quite dry too. Those vital micro-organisms need moisture, so put in extra kitchen waste like fruit and vegetable peelings and some more grass mowings.

If the weather is very rainy your home compost bin may become waterlogged. The micro-organisms do not like this as they need tiny pockets of air to provide them with oxygen. Keep your bin covered. Add extra dry material like soft cardboard, shredded paper or shredded prunings to mix with the sodden garden waste. If the contents of your bin are really soggy you may need to turn them to break up the claggy lumps – but this is hard work.

Summer is the best time to get your home compost bin really hot. Temperatures of 50 Celsius or more are possible in a plastic bin and these conditions will kill weed seeds.

So – make the most of summer – fill your home compost bin with a good mix of ingredients and look forward to wonderful compost next spring.

Other seasonal tips you might find useful:
Recycle your Christmas decorations and use them in the garden.
Warm up your compost in the spring
Using your compost - make the most of your composting efforts
Making your own compost mixes
Dealing with the Autumn Clearing - shredding and more
Is your compost slimy and smelly? - solve the problem.
Restarting your home compost bin in the spring.