How to make great compost | DIY Garden Projects | Gardening Australia

00:42 Get composting with Costa! It doesn’t have to be expensive, it doesn’t have to be complicated… and you can do it anywhere!
Compost is great for your plants and the environment. When food scraps break down in landfill, they produce large amounts of methane (much more potent that carbon dioxide). Composting prevents most of the process… and creates nutrient rich material for your garden.

00:42 HOW TO COMPOST:

Choose a shady spot and position so the bottom of the bin is in direct contact with the soil.

Prevent pests by either sitting the bin on wire aviary mesh or bury the base 10cm deep into the soil.

1:03 Add a layer of coarse, dry material, like sticks, to encourage air circulation.

Add a layer of green material, then a layer of brown material. General rule of thumb – add two parts brown material to one part green material.

Brown material is moistened cardboard, egg containers, shredded paper (not glossy paper), straw, hay, sugarcane mulch, dry leaves etc.

1:25 Green material is garden clippings, grass clippings, vegie scraps, green leaves etc

Continue until bin is full.

After between 2 – 6 months, the compost will be ready to go!

AVOID – meat, wheat and dairy as these are more likely to attract vermin.

MYTH – you can’t compost onions, citrus and tea leaves. You can!

2:27 HOW TO CREATE COMPOST QUICKER

Once a week Aerate the pile with a compost crank or garden fork. The ABC cannot recommend or endorse commercial products or businesses – however, you can find your own compost aerator at a good garden centre or nursery, at some farmers’ markets, or you can search online for “australia buy compost aerator” from a variety of suppliers.

2:40 Every second week Add a handful of poultry manure or blood and bone, sprinkled onto a dry layer to provide a boost of nitrogen. A little rock dust will get the worms working & provide some micronutrients. Rock minerals are available as a fine dust or in pellets. They’re sold through nurseries, agricultural suppliers and online. Just look for ‘rock dust,’ ‘rock minerals’ or ‘natural mineral fertilisers.’

2:53 Once a month Add a handful of lime. This combats the acidity created by the decomposing scraps and the worms love it.

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