Home composting is not as difficult as many people seem to think but, with very limited exceptions such as the more complicated ‘hot composting’ method, it does take patience. Instant homemade compost does not, despite claims to the contrary, exist as all compost material must first heat up before it rots down into usable compost and this takes time.

The time necessary to make compost varies considerably depending on composting materials, bins / heaps size, weather conditions / temperatures and the amount of turning / mixing and watering involved. This is why, if possible, it is good to have more than one compost bin / heap, at different stages in the process, ‘cooking’ at any time so that as one bin / heap is used up, another is ready to take its place.

Homemade, organic compost is an absolutely priceless soil conditioner which, as it slowly releases its minerals, nutrients and trace elements — all essential for healthy plant growth — acts to naturally feed plants of all kinds over a very long period of time. Bought in, usually chemical based composts / fertilisers, are designed to quickly release their contents into the soil therefore making them rapidly available to plants, but they quickly wash out of the soil during watering / rain and while the plants may gain a little immediate benefit, it is soon gone.

It’s easy and inexpensive to make your own with the right materials and good equipment

There are a few kinds of rather expensive compost bins in the market now but the cheapest — and most effective — method is to construct your own bin or to build a simple heap. In our climate compost pits are not a good idea as they can turn into breeding grounds for snakes / rats, etc.

Bins can easily be knocked together from recycled wood, wire netting on wood / metal posts, bricks / blocks or discarded pieces of corrugated iron sheets fastened to some kind of corner posts. I used the latter as I had some lying around and despite developing a few holes, they are still operational over 15 years down the line, although wooden corner posts (lengths of strong tree branches) have been replaced twice.

A bin measuring a metre each way is the smallest recommended size to begin with, my own are twice this size as the garden is large and provides lots of composting ‘ingredients’. Alternatively, you can utilise a heavy duty polythene garbage bin, with a lid and with a few drainage holes drilled in its base for excess liquid to seep out. This liquid is precious liquid fertiliser which, diluted with water at a ratio of 10 parts water to one of seepage liquid, or up to 20 parts water if it seems very strong, is an excellent general plant / foliar feed.

One of my own compost bins

Drainage is not a problem with a bin built directly on the soil surface as seepage liquid finds its own way into the ground. The same applies to a compost heap which, while it may not look as tidy as a bin, is easier to mix up when and as required.

Composting works best when the ingredients are as varied as possible and the mix is of 50 / 50 dry / fresh materials. The dry ingredients could, for example, be chopped straw, dead leaves, shredded newspaper / cardboard, wood ash, cut up old clothes as long as they are made from purely organic fibre, chopped up twigs, etc. and wet ones: fresh grass clippings, weeds, vegetable / fruit waste from the kitchen, organic animal / poultry manure, etc. Air and moisture are an essential part of the composting process as both ‘activate’ the heating up and then breaking down process. It is for this reason that compost bins / heaps should be thoroughly stirred up then watered down every two to three weeks throughout the first two to three months of the process which, in full, will take four to eight months on average — it will be longer if composting ingredients are not chopped up. Compost ‘cooks’ faster in hot weather than in cold conditions. It aids the composting process if the bin / heap is kept covered so that moisture is retained.

Don’t be surprised if, within a couple of weeks of starting off a bin / heap, it is seen to be steaming. This is exactly what it is supposed to do, firstly at its centre, and then, after you bravely mix it up / turn it, from throughout which is a sign that the natural heating up / breaking down process is underway.

Ready to use compost is rich, crumbly, dark brownish in colour and, if when using it, you come across a few lumps / pieces of ‘stuff’ that is not fully decomposed, toss them into the next bin / heap to let them cook down further.

This prime organic compost can be used directly in the garden; it makes an excellent seed starting medium or mulch and is ideal for pot plants.

• Locate your bins / heaps in easily accessible places but not, for reasons of hygiene, directly outside the kitchen door. When correctly undertaken, composting is not a smelly process but it is bound to attract a certain amount of insect life, especially so if a lot of fruit waste is used.

• It takes longer for a very small amount of compost to ‘cook’ than for a larger one which retains its natural heat much better.

• More information about compost ingredients will be provided very soon so please keep your eyes on this column.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer will not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, April 19th, 2015

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