What is Compost?
Compost looks like dark, rich soil and is very good for your garden plants. It helps keep the soil moist and provides food for your plants. Compost is formed when plants, fruit and vegetables die, break down and decompose.

How is compost formed?
Compost starts life as garden and kitchen waste; things that would normally end up in the bin. When waste is put in a composter a natural process of decomposition occurs, which breaks down the waste and produces compost.

Why is compost so good?
It is the most natural way to get rid of raw food and garden waste

Composting reduces the amount of waste in our bins and landfill sites

Compost helps improve the soil quality and helps you grow healthy flowers and vegetables

Compost replaces peat - so peat bogs, which are a habitat for many rare animals and plants do not need to be destroyed

It makes heavy soil easier to deal with by breaking it up and helps improve the structure of light soil so that it retains more water

How is it used?
Compost is used in the garden to feed plants. It can be added to the soil before planting vegetables, herbs, flowers or trees. It can also be applied to growing plants in the spring or summer and can even be sprinkled on your lawn.

Download pdf fact sheet.