Classic Hits – Weekly Tips 11 – Home Composting

 

This week Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio is looking at Home Composting.

Did you know….

• Compost is a pile of organic waste that over time breaks down or “decomposes” into a nutrient rich soil. 
• The compost pile is usually made of a mixture of “green” organic materials like food scraps, garden trimmings or fresh manure and “brown” organic materials like dead or dry leaves, cardboard and wood chips. 
• These chemicals, plus air and water, make the perfect living conditions for tiny organisms, like bacteria and moulds, as well as creatures like worms and insects. They feed on the organic matter and help to break it down.
• The composting process is part of the cycle of life. It happens naturally on the forest floor when dead leaves fall and decompose, protecting and nourishing the soil underneath.
• It can be mixed into normal soil to help plants, flowers and crops grow faster and stronger. Instead of buying fertiliser, we can make it for free at home.

Don’t forget….

 

When composting, it’s important to use the right waste:

Green stuff (gives the compost nitrogen)	Brown stuff (gives the compost carbon)
Fruit and vegetable peelings Egg shells Coffee grounds Leftover food* Fresh garden waste (grass, green leaves, flowers)	Shredded plain paper and cardboard (make sure it is not plastic coated) Dead or dry leaves, grass Twigs and dead plant stalks Coconut husks Sawdust Cotton wool

 

For More Information:

www.cleanireland.ie/home-composting

 

www.stopfoodwaste.ie/resources/composting