www.moreland.vic.gov.au/servic...ing.htm
HOT COMPOST TIPS from the city of Moreland
Benefits of composting
Composting effectively can have enormous benefits in diverting waste from landfill.
Up to 70 per cent of the contents of your garbage bin are materials that can be composted, such as kitchen scraps, garden waste, newspaper and cardboard.
By composting you put your waste to work – compost is fantastic fertiliser for your garden, great for the vegetable patch and your pot plants.
Purchase a compost bin
Council sells the Gedye 220-litre compost bin at a reduced cost of $49.50 (GST inclusive) to households, businesses, organisations and schools based in Moreland.
Payment for the bin can be made at any of Council’s three Citizens Service Centres by cash, cheque or money order.
Free delivery can be arranged to any property within the municipality during business hours.
To order a compost bin, complete the compost bin order section in the Green Waste Bin and Compost Bin Order Form pdf 501KB and forward the completed form to Council with your payment.
Council does not sell worm farms or worms; these can be purchased from suppliers such as hardware stores, nurseries, variety stores or CERES Community Environment Park Nursery at 8 Lee Street, Brunswick East, phone 9387 4403.
Setting up and using your compost bin
Select a well-drained and sunny spot in your garden for your compost bin.
Place in a layer of twigs or prunings and a layer of lime, soil and manure to give all the compost creatures a kick start.
Add your kitchen and garden waste as required, covering with a layer of soil or piece of old carpet. Turn your compost regularly and keep up the moisture.
Composting with worms
Worms produce rich worm casting full of nutrients, perfect for pot plants and vegetable patches.
Worms can be added to your existing compost bin or can be used in a worm farm.
Worms are available from CERES Community Environment Park Nursery at 8 Lee Street, Brunswick East, phone 9387 4403, and from many other suppliers. Look under Worms in the Yellow Pages.
Good compost recipe
For healthy compost, as in every diet, moderation is the key.
The items you put in your compost bin will affect the type of compost that you produce.
The following can be composted:
* Kitchen scraps
* Newspaper and cardboard (worms love cardboard)
* Garden material
* Lawn clippings
* Coffee grounds
* Human hair
Not everything can be composted. Keep out meat, cakes, large amount of bread, diseased plants and dairy products.
Layering method
The basic method of layering materials in your compost bin is known as the layering method. It is important to balance the amount of green or wet material, such as food waste and lawn clippings, with dry or brown materials.
* Add your kitchen scraps every day, covering with a layer of soil – this will help keep out flies and aid decomposition in your compost bin
* Add a handful of soil and manure - this contains lots of microbes and food for all the creatures that will help breakdown your compost
* Add a small layer of mulch or peas straw
* Turn your compost regularly - because oxygen is vital and turning will keep your heap moist
* Keep an eye on your compost bin – don’t be afraid to have a close look at what’s composting and what’s not
Troubleshooting
A compost bin is a living system, so it is often possible to fix problems by observing or smelling what is or isn’t happening in your bin.
A compost bin is home to a range of bugs. Slugs, spiders, ants, millipedes and mites are an important part of the composting process.
But large numbers of a particular bug, such as ants and white worms, can indicate that something’s not quite right in your compost bin.
Sick Compost?
Smelly compost
* Too much moisture
* Lack of oxygen
* Add dry material – pea straw, newspaper or dry leaves
* Turn the heap
Rats and mice
* Bread and cakes
* Open compost
* Fresh material
* Cover fresh food with a later of soil or compost
* Remove bread and cakes
Slow compost
* Lack of nutrients, air and moisture
* Add more food material
* Turn the heap regularly
* Add moist materials and water
* Add a shovel full of soil and manure
Infestations of ants
* Dry compost
* Add more moisture and kitchen materials
* Turn the compost regularly
White worms
About 1 cm long, can be mistaken for baby worms
* Acidic compost
* Add less acidic material, such as oranges.
* Add a handful of lime or wood ash – mix well.
