Compost at Home

Composting at home is the simple way to help nature restore your garden’s health and vitality.

Home composting can help:

You,  to save money on buying compost. Composting and gardening are also recognised physical activities that can improve your health and well-being.

The environment, by reducing waste sent for disposal, prevents the production of harmful gases and reduces the reliance on peat.

Your garden, by feeding plants, lightening heavy soils and helping light soils hold more water.

Find out more in our Why Compost at Home? Leaflet.

Getting started and making compost at home is easy, follow these simple steps to make great compost for your garden.

For more information about what you can put in your compost bin have a look at Can you compost it.

Composting Workshops 

We will be holding free compost workshops to help you get started or to improve your composting and learn about alternative composting methods like wormeries. The 2-hour workshops also include time for questions and answers.

The workshops will be held May – September 2023 in various locations across Norfolk, a full programme and details of how to book a workshop will be published soon.

Online

Norfolk County Council have teamed up with
Get Composting to offer cut price compost bins
to Norfolk residents.

Prices start from just £10 (plus £5.99 for delivery) and you can buy one get one half price.

220 litre black bins at £10 (standard price £25)

220 litre green bins at £13 (standard price £27)

330 litre black bins at £13 (standard price £28.50)

330 litre green bins at £16 (standard price £30)

You can buy a reduced priced compost bin online at www.getcomposting.com  or by telephone on 0844 571 4444. Please be aware that delivery can take up to 28 days.

At Recycling Centres

220 litre black compost bins are available to purchase from all 20 Norfolk Recycling Centres. They are available for £10 and you can buy one get one half price. Find your nearest local recycling centre here.

NB. This offer is limited to 2 compost bins per customer.

Bokashi Bins allow you to compost all of your food waste including meat, fish, dairy products and any other organic material in one container.

Add your kitchen waste to your Bokashi Bin, sprinkle on a handful of Bokashi Bran and seal the air tight lid to start the fermenting process. After a few weeks your waste can be added to a conventional compost heap, or dug straight into the ground.

For Norfolk residents the Bokashi bin twin pack is available at a reduced price of £15 (standard price £24.99) from www.getcomposting.com

Many people choose to make their own compost bins out of pallets, wire or other materials alternatively just make a loose heap in a garden corner! Try this build a compost heap guide  from the BBC for some great ideas. Why not share your tips for homemade compost bins with us on social media, tag us with #NorfolkRecycles.

Wormeries use worms to create dark crumbly compost from your kitchen and garden waste. If you haven’t the space for a traditional compost bin, you could find that worm composting is just the thing for you. This factsheet explains how to make a wormery from stacking boxes for a fraction of the cost of commercially available models.

Are you having trouble getting your compost just right?

Is it too wet, dry or smelly? Do you have some unwanted residents?  We have collated some advice on how to deal with the most common home composting problems.

Click here to have your compost questions answered.

Is there something you’d like to know about your compost bin or heap and you don’t know who to ask? Why not ‘Ask a Master Composter’! Simply fill in the form below and one of our Master Composters will get in touch.

Master Composter volunteer Anne Wiltshire said “Composting gives me a feeling of satisfaction.  Every time I go to add more organic matter into the compost bin, I notice how quickly the level has shrunk down.  The smell and feel of freshly made compost is wonderful and not off putting in any way.  The other thing that composting gives me is the knowledge that I am doing ‘my bit’ for the environment and for the future.”

Read more about Anne and other Master Composters stories here.

We are here to help if you have any questions or need advice on composting there are lots of ways to find out more:

Visit Master Composters at a local event

Email – mastercomposters@norfolk.gov.uk

Call – 0344 800 8020

Garden Organic – lots of information on organic gardening and composting, including an app for your smart phone

Recyclenow.com  – easy steps to help with your home composting