Every garden should have a regular source of good compost. It has everything that your plants need and is excellent for improving soil structure to promote healthy root growth. 

What Can I Add To My Compost Bin?

When you are adding material to compost bins remember that the process is free and demands little effort as bacteria and worms do all the work for you.

The list of what you can add is long and varied, from carrot peelings to cotton shirts, what is most important is that there should be a good mixture of different materials. This is to prevent the heap from turning into a solid airless mass which prevents bacteria from doing their magic.

Nearly everything can be composted but there are exceptions:

  • Diseased or pest-infested material
  • Woody plants (these take too long to break down)
  • The roots of pernicious weeds
  • The foliage of main crop potatoes
  • Cooked kitchen waste
  • Any weeds that still have seeds

Other items worth avoiding are glossy magazines that don't rot easily, potato peelings that might develop into plants and dry straw. Anything large should be cut down to size so that decomposition is made easier.

Build up the heap with a mixture of garden cuttings and other organic material starting with some wet straw or prunings to aid drainage. About every 12ins add some manure to add nitrogen or a branded compost activator. Continue this process, also adding a dusting of lime now and again to reduce acidity.

You should only need to add water in very hot weather, especially if you have incorporated grass cuttings. Indeed, during the winter you might cover the heap to prevent it from becoming too damp, a cover will also help retain the heat that bacteria love.

After about six months, depending on the time of year and the materials used, you should be able to harvest the rich brown compost packed full of nitrogen, phosphates, potash and other essential elements that will greatly enrich your garden soil.

Waste for compost.

Is It Easy To Build A Compost Bin?

There's no single way of constructing a compost bin and they can be made from many different materials. Whatever the design, building a compost bin is a fairly simple job. Mine consists of wooden slats (the same width as floorboards) nailed to four posts about 3ft - 4ft high to make up a frame. Make sure there is a gap of about two inches between the boards so that air can circulate. On the fourth side, the slats are removable for easy access.

You could also use brick with wooden slats on one side to enable access or from wire mesh supported by posts. It is recommended to have two, three or maybe more compost bins, so that the compost in each one is at a different stage of decomposition and, if you move the compost between bins, it will benefit from the extra aeration.

Can I Buy Compost Bins Online?

Compost Bins are available online and from garden centres in various designs. Bins made from tough plastic are very hardwearing while timber has a more traditional look, attractively designed and manufactured with pressure treated softwood.

Wooden slatted compost bins are produced by all the well-known garden brands, as well as durable bins that are rat and rodent resistant are made from tough plastic and resin.

Our Top 5 Composters

Composting is a natural and inexpensive process that transforms your kitchen and garden waste into valuable and nutrient-rich food for your garden. It is easy to make using one of our composters.

Forest Slot Down Compost Bin

With a generous 650 litre capacity, the slot down composter from Forest will hold everything from prunings, grass cuttings and leftover vegetables. The slotted posts can be fixed into the ground to secure the bin and can be accessed by removing the slats. The timber has been pressure treated for long life with a 15-year guarantee against rot.

Rowlinson Beehive Composter

One of our most popular composters is the beehive composter from Rowlinson which is a more attractive means of storing compost and also creates a lovely focal point for your garden. It can be accessed by lifting the lid and has a removable bottom panel. There is a generous 328 litre capacity for a smaller amount of compost.

Forest Slot Down Compost Bin

Rowlinson Budget Composter

The slatted design of the budget composter from Rowlinson will be perfect for smaller gardens and for those who are on a budget. The slats will air the compost well and after a few weeks of filling it, you'll have a lovely dark compost which will give you an excellent mulch and soil conditioner. There is a generous 439-litre capacity and is pressure treated against rot making it highly durable.

Forest Beehive Composter

The Forest Slatted Composter has a simple design and is very simple to assemble by just slotting together. The wood is pressure treated with a 15-year anti-rot guarantee to help break down grass cuttings and leftover vegetables to improve the quality of your soil. For a long-lasting composter, the Forest slatted one is perfect especially as it offers a large capacity of 250 litres for a low price.

Forest Slot Down Composter Extension Kit

If you have already purchased the standard Forest Slot Down Composter but are running out of space and want to expand the amount of compost you're producing, then the Forest Extension Kit is the solution! The components can be easily slotted into place and come with three sides and two posts.