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Composting at home turns everyday garden and kitchen waste into a valuable organic soil improver. The finished compost enriches the soil, supports healthy plant growth and helps reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal.
Whether you want to improve borders, feed vegetable beds, mulch containers, or simply garden more sustainably, learning how to make compost is an essential gardening skill. A healthy compost heap can also encourage wildlife and beneficial insects, helping create a more biodiverse garden environment.
In this guide, we explain how to compost at home, including choosing a compost bin, what to add to your compost heap, how long the process takes and how to produce rich, crumbly compost for use around the garden.
Homemade compost is incredibly versatile and can be used throughout the garden.
Benefits of making your own compost include:
Good compost also improves soil biology by encouraging worms and beneficial microorganisms.
👉 Expert Tip: Compost made from a wide variety of ingredients usually produces the most balanced and nutrient-rich compost for plants.
Before you begin making your own compost, you’ll need somewhere suitable to store it while it breaks down. While ready-made compost bins are widely available, there are also plenty of simple DIY options that can be made using recycled or inexpensive materials, making composting accessible for almost any garden.
Compost can take anywhere from three months to two years to fully mature, depending on the composting materials used and how well the pile is maintained.
A simple open compost heap is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to start composting at home. Organic waste is piled directly onto bare soil where it can break down naturally over time. Open heaps are ideal if you have room to dedicate an area to composting, making it easy to turn the pile regularly while allowing plenty of airflow for efficient decomposition.
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Plastic compost bins retain heat well and keep composting neat and tidy. Many are made from recycled plastic, making them a practical and sustainable choice for gardens where space is limited.
Their enclosed design helps keep the compost pile contained, reducing mess while protecting it from excessive rain and drying winds. Most include ventilation slots and a removable access hatch, making it easy to collect finished compost from the bottom.
Best for:
Wooden compost bays, including simple pallet compost bins, are perfect for larger gardens and handling bigger quantities of garden waste. Their slatted sides improve airflow, helping compost break down faster while preventing the pile from becoming waterlogged.
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Tumbler composters are designed for quicker compost production and easy turning. Their rotating design improves aeration, helping compost break down more efficiently while keeping the process clean and contained.
Best for:
👉 Expert Tip: Compost breaks down more efficiently when the pile contains a balanced mix of green and brown materials with good airflow throughout.
One of the most important things to understand when making compost is the balance between green and brown materials. A healthy compost heap needs a mix of both to break down efficiently and create nutrient-rich garden compost.
Too much green waste can leave compost wet and smelly, while too much brown material can slow decomposition considerably.
Green materials are rich in nitrogen and help generate heat inside the compost heap.
👉 Pro Tip: Add green compost materials in thin layers rather than large clumps to prevent the heap becoming wet, compacted, and smelly.
Brown materials provide carbon and improve airflow within the compost pile.
👉 Pro Tip: Tearing cardboard and shredding larger materials into smaller pieces helps compost break down much faster.
Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to put in compost. Adding the wrong materials can slow decomposition, create unpleasant smells, or attract pests to your compost heap.
A compost heap needs oxygen, moisture, and warmth to break down efficiently.
Turning the compost every few weeks helps aerate the pile and speeds up decomposition.
Using a garden fork:
Too much rain can leave compost soggy and lacking oxygen.
To prevent this:
A healthy compost heap should feel similar to a wrung-out sponge.
Once your compost is fully matured, there are many ways to use it around the garden.
Spread compost around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Dig compost into soil before planting to improve fertility and structure.
Mix homemade compost with loam and horticultural grit for container planting.
Sieved compost can be lightly spread over lawns to improve soil health.
Even experienced gardeners occasionally run into composting problems.
Usually caused by too many green materials or poor airflow.
Solution: Add cardboard, straw, or shredded paper and turn the pile.
Dry compost breaks down very slowly.
Solution: Add moisture and more green materials.
This often happens during colder weather or when materials are too large.
Solution: Chop materials smaller and turn more regularly.
Our friendly team is always happy to offer practical advice on composting, soil care and choosing the right products for your garden.
Visit us in Kington to explore our range of soil improvers, mulches, garden forks and other gardening essentials, and let us help you find the best composting solutions for your garden and gardening goals.
