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Fact Sheet #1
– YOUR GUIDE TO –
HOMES TRADITIONAL
COMPOSTING
What is Traditional
Composting? Why
Traditional composting is simply the method of breaking down
organic materials (kitchen and garden waste) in a large container
or heap.
The decomposition occurs because of the action of naturally
occurring bacteria and fungi. Small invertebrates, such as Composting has many benefits for
earthworms and millipedes, help to complete the process. the environment:
Composting can convert kitchen and garden waste into dark
coloured soil in a matter of a few weeks or months. Traditional • it saves valuable landfill space
composting is only suitable for composting kitchen scraps if you • it can be used as fertiliser
have a good amount of garden pruning’s (including grass clippings, • it improves the condition of
twigs, dry leaves, mulch etc.). If you don’t have much in the way of soils.
garden pruning’s, a worm farm would be a much better option (see
Fact Sheet 2: Worm Farming).
How Composting Works
There is nothing mysterious or In composting, provided the a wide variety of invertebrates
complicated about composting. right conditions are present, the present. In fact, there is a mini
Natural composting, or natural process of decay is sped food web in action. Some
decomposition, occurs all the up. In these conditions, bacteria creatures, such as springtails,
time in the natural world. and fungi feed and multiply, millipedes, mites, slugs and
Organic material, the remains giving off a great deal of heat. earthworms, feed on the partially
of dead animals and plants, is In well managed heaps, this broken down materials. Other
broken down and consumed by temperature can reach as high as creatures, such as spiders,
decomposers (mainly bacteria 60°C in the central core. centipedes and cockroaches, prey
and fungi) and eaten by small While the temperature remains on the plant feeders.
invertebrates. high, invertebrates are not
The nutrients, that were once present in compost heaps, but
present in these remains, are when the temperature drops, the
returned to the soil or water, invertebrates enter the heap from
where they are able to support the surrounding soil and complete
the growth of new plants. This is the process of decomposition.
natural recycling. In a pile of mature
compost, there may be
How to ALIVENESS - Compost needs living organisms to break
Compost A down the waste and release the minerals and nutrients
needed to make rich soil-like compost. Each living organism
Follow the ADAM principle for in the compost has a different but important role to play in
creating the right conditions for good compost. Some of the
good compost. living organisms, such as bacteria, are too small for you to
Good compost comes from see. But they are still very important.
ALIVENESS, which is created DIVERSITY – Compost needs lots of different ingredients
by having DIVERSITY, a D to keep it healthy. Different ingredients make sure the
variety of materials, e.g. leaves, compost has all the right minerals and nutrients. Anything
small sticks, twigs and food that has lived once can live again in your compost.
scraps, hair, dust, teabags,
with AERATION to aid the A AERATION – Compost needs air or it will become smelly.
process. Not enough air and Turning the compost adds the air needed to ensure no
the compost will become bad smells.
smelly, the right amount of
MOISTURE, not too wet not M MOISTURE – Compost needs water to live. It should be
too dry, is necessary for the moist but not dripping with water.
compost to live.
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TRADITIONAL
COMPOSTING
What you CAN add What NOT to add
to a compost heap: to a compost heap:
• Vegetable and fruit scraps • Meat and dairy products
• Fallen leaves (in layers) • Diseased plants
• Tea leaves and tea bags (paper bags only) • Metals, plastic, glass
• Coffee grounds • Animal manures (especially the
• Vacuum cleaner dust droppings of cats and dogs)
• Soft stems • Fat
• Dead flowers • Magazines
• Egg shells • Large branches
• Old Newspapers • Weeds that have seeds or
• Grass cuttings in layers underground stems
• Sawdust (not from treated timber • Bread or cake (may attract rodents)
e.g. treated pine) • Bones
• Wood ash • Sawdust from treated timber
(e.g. treated pine)
Compost Containers
and Heaps
There are many types of containers that you can use to compost
at home. Some of these are:
• Plastic bins with ventilation holes or slits
• Plastic bins without ventilation
• Metal drums with holes punched in the side and with the
base removed
• Rotating drum units (tumblers)
• Enclosures made from timber (planks or sleepers), bricks or
chicken wire. Using
If you prefer, you can make compost in open heaps, but they Compost
should be covered with either a plastic sheet or some hessian to • Compost is ready to
prevent the heap from drying out in hot weather. You could even use when it is dark and
bury kitchen scraps in holes in garden beds. smells earthy (no sharp
ammonia smell).
In Ground System • Place compost around
An alternative option is to obtain a pipe or cut the bottom the DRIP-LINE of plants
out of a bucket and place it two-thirds into the ground. (where the water falls
Simply place your fruit and vegetable scraps in the pipe and off the plants leaves).
worms will come from afar to consume your waste. This • Keep compost away
method has the benefit of enriching the soil around it and from the stems of
is ideal for vegetable gardens or nutrient loving plants. The plants.
pipe or bucket can be moved around as required. You will
need a lid on top to keep the moisture and heat in and the
light out.
TRADITIONAL
COMPOSTING
Composting
Troubleshooting
1 Smelly compost 3 Too dry
Three things could cause smelly compost: Compost should always be spongy, and
• too wet squeezable.
• not enough air Fix it by:
• too much food • Adding water
• ‘other’ materials (meat or dairy etc.)
Fix it by: 4 Composting too slow
• Stirring in dry leaves, mulch or soil. Usually happens if compost is too wet or too
• Turning the compost to get more air in. dry or not enough heat.
• Adding two or three handfuls of garden Fix it by:
lime or dolomite.
• Mixing food with shredded newspaper • Adding newspaper and turning (if too
before adding to the bin. wet).
• Adding water and turning (if too dry).
2 Unwelcome visitors • Stirring in some dynamic lifter, old
compost or grass clippings.
Ants, cockroaches, flies, mice or rats
Fix it by: 5 Not heating up
• Ensuring food is covered by vegetation / Fix it by:
mulch • Add more NITROGEN material – e.g.
• Adding lime and turning the compost to young grass clippings, blood & bone,
discourage ants and cockroaches etc.
• Keeping meat out of the compost • Check MOISTURE level - (dry heaps
• Turning the compost regularly don’t heat up!) add more water when
mixing
• Mix the heap more regularly with spiral
mixing tool
• Add a handful of lime or dolomite
Compost can kill weed seeds if hot enough, but it takes at least 60 degrees
for 3 days.
An easier and safer way to dispose of weeds is to make a compost tea – put
weeds in a bucket with water for 2-4 weeks. This increases the nitrogen and
Weeds? works as an activator to build up the heat then add to compost heap.
For more information, contact Council’s Sustainability and Waste Team
(07) 577 7000 sustainability.waste@tauranga.govt.nz
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