27
April
2015
|
17:35
Europe/London

Put your waste to use this Compost Awareness week

Residents can purchase discounted compost converters from as little as £17.98 (down from £19.98 last year) and a second compost converter from only £8.99.

Home composting is a great way to reduce the amount of organic kitchen waste that goes into your household bin. It’s also a cheaper alternative to chargeable garden waste collections and has the added benefit of producing a free supply of top quality compost that will not only improve the quality of home grown fruit and vegetables but also increase their yield.

So if you’re not composting already, now is the time to get started!

For Compost Awareness Week 2015, Oxfordshire County Council asked their volunteer Master Composters (MCs) for their top composting tips:

  • I "cook" my compost, to sterilise it and kill off any hardy weed seeds. I stick it in the oven for 10 minutes, or nuke it in the microwave - MC Ailsa Barber.
  • My favourite tip is saving up coffee grounds from my cafetiere mixed with water in an old plastic bottle and, when full, poured into the composter – MC Angela Hoy.
  • Most people know that leaf mould can take a long time to rot down as do shredded prunings. The process can be speeded up by mixing them both with lawn cuttings which, during the summer can be too much to add to a compost bin. I keep leaves and shreddings in a brick enclosure and then add the grass to the top of the heap and fork it in - you end up with a large heap of a black crumbly mix heaving with worms which is the basis of my tomato trench – MC Colin Fox.
  • Remember that compost is much better on the garden than stored in a compost bin, so start using it and make space for the new season’s contributions – MC Lynda Smith.

Eiles Robinson, Household Waste Reduction Officer at Oxfordshire County Council said, “More than 30% of the average household waste can be composted and although many households already compost at home, we want others to get involved. This is a great incentive to encourage more residents to get composting and set up their own composting communities sharing the rewards. Home composting organic waste also helps to significantly reduce carbon emissions and can also be used as an effective and sustainable waste management method to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.”

There are a range of compost bins and accessories available to suit new recruits and seasoned gardeners alike. For full details or to order visit www.getcomposting.com, or call 0844 571 4444.

The buy one get one half price offer is available on selected products. A one-off delivery charge of £5.99 applies.