Catherine, Marketing Director, Newport
How long have you been composting?
Since I moved into our current house - five years ago.
What made you start composting?
There was a make shift compost bin structure in the garden when we moved in. I had never composted before but my parents always had so I had a basic awareness of what to do.
How did you find out how to get started and what to do?
The compost bin in the garden was full of the previous Autumn's leaves so I just kept turning these over for the first couple of months after moving in to see what happended. I didn't really add any new materials to the compost for about a year as I was much too concerned with rising damp and a crumbling chimney stack when we first moved in! By the summer the leaves had broken down into the most amazingly rich compost which I then put on the garden.
Did you find it easy to get started? Or did you have any problems at first?
No problems really and I've learnt as I've gone along. I do keep meaning to improve the structure of the compost heap as it's very ram-shackled. I have now cleared an area of the garden that I'd like the compost to be moved to, so from this Autumn I'll start to use the new area and clear the old compost area into the main structure of the garden.
Do you regularly put in kitchen waste as well as garden waste? If so, do you use a kitchen caddy?
I put all my kitchen waste in - eg peelings, egg shells, tea bags etc. I find it really cuts down on my bin waste. I do use a kitchen caddy - it makes the whole process so easy. The scraps go into the caddy and once a week the scraps go onto the compost heap and get turned in.
Is your compost bin doing well now?
The heap is looking healthy. I try to turn it at least once a week so that heat is generated and the waste breaks down quicker. I've been using the compost throughout the summer to spread on top of all my herbaceous/shrub areas and I've been spreading it around new trees as well to try and prevent them drying out.
How long was it before you were able to use your compost?
We were lucky in that an established heap was already in progress when we first moved in to the propery. From the first time I started to add my own materials I suppose it was about six months before it was ready for use.
Are you pleased with the results in your garden by usin gyour own compost? Any examples?
The soil is really rich now. About twice a year I fork over the whole bedded area with the compost and mulch into shrub areas and this really improves the soil. I don't know how much or how the previous house owner used the compost but I think that my garden is improving year on year.
Do you compost throughout the year?
Yes, but probably more so in the summer. The compost area is quite a trek from the house so I get a bit lazier in the winter!
Finally, do you have any tips to give people about composting, which you've found useful?
Keep at it and keep forking it over. My experience shows that it's not enough to just dump the new waste on the top - it needs to be worked through.
