Making compost
Here's some information about what you can add to your bin to make the best compost. Aim for a balance of 50% greens and 50% browns in your compost bin to get the right mix.
'Greens'
Quick to rot and provide important nitrogen and moisture.
- Animal manure with straw
- Annual weeds
- Bindweed
- Bracken
- Brussels sprout stalk
- Carrot tops
- Citrus peel
- Coffee grounds
- Comfrey leaves
- Cut flowers
- Deadly Nightshade
- Fruit peelings and pulp
- Fruit seeds
- Grass mowings
- Hay
- Hedge clippings
- House plants
- Ivy leaves
- Nettles
- Old bedding plants
- Perennial weeds
- Poisonous plants
- Rhubarb leaves
- Seaweed
- Soft prunings and plant debris
- Tea leaves and bags
- Urine
- Vegetable peelings and pulp
'Browns'
Slower to rot, provide carbon & fibre and allow air pockets to form.
- Autumn leaves
- Cardboard
- Christmas tree
- Corn starch liners
- Cotton towels
- Cotton wool
- Egg boxes
- Egg shells
- Evergreen prunings
- Hair
- Natural corks
- Nuts
- Paper bags
- Privet
- Straw
- Sweetcorn cobs
- Thorny prunings
- Tomato plants
- Used kitchen paper
- Vacuum cleaner contents
- Wood ash
- Wool
Keep this out!
Certain things should never be placed in your bin.
- Bones
- Bread
- Cans
- Cat litter
- Cigarette ends
- Cling film
- Coal ash
- Crisp packets
- Dairy products
- Disposable nappies
- Dog faeces
- Dog food
- Drink cartons
- Meat and fish scraps
- Olive oil
- Plastic bags
- Plastic bottles
- Soiled tissues