Sunday 4 May to Saturday 10 May is International Compost Week.
Approximately 50% of the rubbish Australians put in the red landfill bin could be put to better use in the garden as compost and mulch.
By turning food scraps and organic garden waste into compost you can:
- Improve soil quality and garden vitality by releasing rich nutrients into the soil.
- Suppress plant diseases and pests, this reduces or eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers and manures, also saving money.
- Reduce the amount of organic waste going to landfill therefore preventing climate warming methane emissions, and leachate which pollutes land, groundwater and waterways.
- Retain soil moisture – lowering the watering requirement.
- Absorb and filter runoff, protecting streams from erosion and pollution.
What to add in your compost bin:
Vegetable and fruit scraps, vegetable oil, small prunings and lawn clippings, tea bags and coffee grounds, shredded recycled paper and cardboard, used potting mix, hair, egg shells, and flowers.
What not to add in your compost bin:
Meat and bones, dairy products, diseased plants, metals, plastic and glass, animal manures, fat, magazines, large branches, weeds that have seeds or roots, sawdust from treated timber, pet droppings, synthetic chemicals.
Enjoy!
Felicity Maher
Sustainability Officer
