How to compost
Please follow this guide for information on what to put in your compost bin and what not to put in.
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 Out!
Certain things should never be placed in your compost bin.
- Bones – may attract pests
- Bread – may attract pests
- Cans – will not degrade
- Cat litter – may contain disease
- Cigarette ends – chemicals may be released into the compost
- Cling film – will not degrade
- Coal ash – contaminants may cause damage to plants
- Crisp packets – will not degrade
- Dairy products – may attract pests
- Disposable nappies – health risk
- Dog faeces – may contain disease
- Dog food – may attract pests
- Drink cartons – will not degrade
- Meat and fish scraps – may attract pests
- Olive oil – may attract pests
- Plastic bags – will not degrade
- Plastic bottles – will not degrade
- Soiled tissues – may be a health risk