The Basics of Compost.

You can start composting from any spare site in your garden, so the first thing you need to consider is where you want your composting to begin. Make sure that the area for your compost container will fit into the area that you have allotted for the task around the square metre would suffice.
Now that you have found your site built your container the first thing you need to do is prepare the ground Use course materials and branches at the bottom of the compost pile to allow for air circulation and to allow extra moisture to drain out.

The following items can be composted:

1. Food scraps (do not include meat, bone or fat scraps)
2. Egg shells
3. Peels (from potatoes, oranges, apples, bananas, etc)
4. Old and/or rotten fruits and vegetables (i.e.: grapes, potatoes)
5. Grass clippings, leaves, straw, and hay
6. Pine cones, needles and sawdust
7. Coffee grounds and tea bags
8. Soil
9. Try not to include food that has mold on it, as the mold may not be killed off during the composting process.

It would be a good idea to break down the items to be composted into smaller pieces before you add them to the compost pile. This will help to speed up the composting process.

Don't let your compost pile get too dry or too wet. Moisture is an important part of the composting process. Too dry and the materials won't break down properly. Too wet and the pile will start to rot and develop a very unpleasant, stinky smell.


The compost pile should warm up after 24 hours of starting one. Rotate the compost pile once a week with a garden fork, which will let fresh oxygen into the pile. It is the oxygen and the heat that quickly break down the materials in the compost pile. It takes several weeks for the materials to completely break down into soil. You can tell when the compost pile is ready to use when the materials you put into the pile are no longer identifiable.
During the winter you can continue to use your compost bin, The material wont decompose if the weather is below zero, but as soon as the weather starts to warm up again your compost will start to decompose.

Avoid adding certain materials to your compost pile. Perennial weeds, such as dandelions or thistle, will just keep growing. Poison ivy can cause an itchy rash when you are working with the compost. Plus, some plants are toxic to other plants, such as sunflower seed hulls, heads and stalks. Finally, avoid adding cat litter and other pet waste, as it can be harmful to humans.

Buying your compost bin



There are various types, box shape, wire mesh, and tumblers which are shaped like a barrel and are fitted with a handle so that the content can be turned and rotated over.

The advantages of bins, especially in urban areas, are that they are protected from the weather and keep out domestic animals such as dog’s cats and some wild animals.

if you are buying your Aerobin® Composter make sure you read the instructions, some bins have a separate compartment at the bottom of the bin, which allows air to come in.



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