While compost can be bought from garden centres and online, it is easy to make your own at home using a compost bin. Composting is a fantastic way to recycle garden waste and kitchen scraps such as vegetable peelings and even cardboard or biodegradable sponges and cloths. Making your own can also help reduce waste, reduces methane emissions and is a lot cheaper than buying it from a garden centre each time you need it.
However, if it’s not properly managed, compost can turn slimy and smelly. It can also attract rodents, which can wreak havoc on gardens. Laura Harnett, founder of eco-cleaning brand Seep, said there are three common mistakes people make that can cause compost to have a plethora of problems.
Three compost mistakes to avoid
1. Not enough air
Laura said that if your compost is slimy or smelly, it could be that it has too much water and not enough air.
She explained: “Solve this by adding more brown materials and don’t add any more green until it’s better balanced. Make sure the compost heap is covered so the rain can’t get in.”
2. Too much or too little water
Dry compost won’t decompose properly, which means it needs more water and more green water added to it.
She added: “Flies can also be a problem, which suggests the compost is too wet, so solve this by adding more brown matter and covering up any kitchen waste with leaves, weeds or leaves from the garden.”
3. Adding the wrong items
Rats and mice can be attracted to compost heaps if there are too many food scraps. Certain food scraps should never be put in compost bins, as they could release harmful bacteria.
Laura explained: “Never add meat scraps, dairy, cheese, fats or oils, pet waste, or chemically treated wood.
“These items either cause unpleasant odours, attract rodents and pests or could release harmful bacteria or chemicals. I would also avoid adding anything cooked other than leftover vegetables.”