For housing societies
Composting for your society
Turn your society’s kitchen waste into compost for the garden, with a few drums, dry leaves and a weekly rota.
About 90 minutes
What you need
- Two to four large drums or compost bins with holes for air
- Dry leaves or sawdust
- A little sour buttermilk or ready compost to start
- A rake or stick, gloves, and a shady spot
Step by step
Setting up
- Choose a shaded spot near the garden, away from windows, with a little space around the drums.
- Put a layer of dry leaves at the bottom of the first drum.
- Add the day’s wet waste, then cover it with a layer of dry leaves. Sprinkle a little buttermilk or ready compost in the first week.
Every week
- Turn the mix with a rake so air gets in.
- Too wet or smelly? Add more dry leaves. Too dry? Sprinkle some water.
- When the first drum is full, close it and start the next one.
Harvest
After six to eight weeks, the full drum turns dark, crumbly and smells of earth: that’s compost. Use it in the society garden or share it with residents for their plants.
Free to print, copy and share. From Save First Home: savefirsthome.org