BUILD YOUR COMPOST HEAP

There are two important elements to a compost heap – carbon and nitrogen. These are the heat and fuel that cook everything you throw in.

• Carbon is the brown content, such as diseasefree shredded branches, dry stems and twigs, spent crops and autumn leaves – preferably crinkly so you maintain pockets of air – paper products (but not glossy magazines), sawdust (from untreated timber only) and hay.

• Nitrogen is the green content. This includes lawn clippings, weeds (but not their flowers or seed pods), green stems and leaves, fallen or overripe fruit and vegetables, wilted flowers and dead

houseplants and kitchen waste, including coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags (staples removed) and vegetable peelings. • Build the heap in layers, starting off with brown content, then adding green content. A general rule of thumb is to have a ratio of about 60% green to 40% brown content.

TIP Don’t throw in plants sprayed with pesticides, or pet manure. Citrus is acidic and slows down the breakdown process. Meat, fish and dairy all smell and a ract vermin.