Composting and Worm Farming - Northland Regional Council

CompostGetting startedYou can either buy a compost bin or make awooden box for the compost. If you arebuilding one, remember to leave spacebetween the slats of wood for air circulation.A 1 x 1 metre compost bin is a good size.All compost bins should be bottomless andplaced on the bare ground in a sunny spot.They work best in a warm, moist location.Begin with a bottom layer of coarse plantmaterial like twigs, followed by alternatelayers of garden waste and food scraps witha thin layer of soil.What to include in your binYou will need a variety of materials whichare found naturally in your garden or comefrom the kitchen. They are called “Greens”and “Browns.”Greens - are nitrogen-rich wastes likekitchen food scraps, fruit peels, coffeegrounds and tea bags, grass and plantclippings, hair, animal fur, blood andbone, seaweed, fish bones and choppedweeds (except for Onion Weed,Wandering Jew, Wild Ginger andOxalis).Browns - are high in carbon and otherelements. These may be dried leaves,sawdust, wood shavings, hay, peat,vacuum cleaner dust, shredded paper,and newspaper, eggshells and crushedseashells, coal ash, wood ash (untreated),chicken manure, blood and bone.What to leave out of your binMANURE • FISHBONES • SEAWEEDEGGSHELLS • SEASHELLSGRASS CLIPPINGS • CHOPPED WEEDSDRIED LEAVES • PEAT • HAYSOIL (or COMPOST ACTIVATOR)KITCHEN FOOD SCRAPSFIRST LAYERCOARSELY CHOPPED PLANT MATERIALAIRAIRExample of compost layers.Courtesy of Auckland Regional Council.Meat, grease, fat, dairy products, large bones, food packaging, plastics, wood products,pest plants (see www.nrc.govt.nz for more information), and underground stems, forexample kikuyu grass stems. Cat and dog faeces are not recommended in largeamounts. They may create an odour problem and there are very little nutrients in them.