Composting

Compost bins can be used to breakdown all of the green waste arising in your kitchen and garden

• Fruit and Vegetable peelings
• Garden clippings
• Tea-bags
• Egg shells and cardboard egg boxes
• Bits of newspaper and cardboard

Layer the materials in your compost bin and wait about 6 - 12 months for your home made soil improver to arrive.  This should also cut down on your waste by approximately 30 – 35%.

Alternatively using tiger worms (vermi-composting) you can expand the range of materials which you can compost as the worms will also digest

• Cooked foods
• Pasta
• Bread
• Meat

Further advice and information are available at http://www.stopfoodwaste.ie/home-composting/

Other Suppliers and Advice

Element Green. 
Suppliers of worm composting systems (Can-O-Worms) complete with worms, bedding and containers. Deliver to your door. Contact them by phone, post or e-mail. Element Green, Acorn Business Campus, Mahon Industrial Park, Blackrock, Cork. Tel: 021 - 453 6153. e-mail: info@elementgreen.com. www.elementgreen.com/index.htm

Irish Peatland Conservation Council 
Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore, Rathangan, Co. Kildare. Tel: 045-860133. E-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie. Check out the IPCC website for expert advice on how to compost garden and household waste using compost heaps or wormeries to encourage peat-free gardening. The website gives detailed instructions on how to set up a home-made wormery. Website: http://www.ipcc.ie/

Jimmy Austin. 
Supplier of brandling worms and advice on how to operate a wormery. Contact by post or phone: Garadice, Kilcock, Co Meath. Tel: 086 8157058.

Wrigglers Worm Farm. 
Suppliers of compost worms and worm composting systems (Can-O-Worms). Can be sent in the post. Contact at Ardvoley, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim. Tel: 071 9164880

Wiggly Wigglers. 
Suppliers of mixed species worms and bedding to start off your very own worm bin. For UK residents there is even a freephone number to answer questions. Worms shipped by post. Check out their site here - http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/ Or contact by post: Wiggly wigglers, Lower Blakemere Farm, Blakemere, Herefordshire HR2 9PX, UK. Tel: 01981-500391

Compost for Nature 

An Taisce's brand new Compost for Nature guide is now available! For years, the garden and landscape industry has been selling us peat moss as “compost.” In reality, this is peat-moss that is nutrient-poor and bad for our peatlands. The good news is that there is another more sustainable way to nurture soil health, reduce waste, AND protect our peatlands - composting!

People are also becoming more aware and concerned about extreme weather events and biodiversity loss due to climate change. Growing and composting are practical actions for people to do their bit for biodiversity and nature. It also gives people a chance to connect more and be mindful of their consumption and waste.

This guide brings together essential information on why we need to stop using peat moss for gardening, and horticulture, and how we can compost at home and in our communities as an alternative. It's a resource and tool for people wanting to compost at home, in community gardens, schools, and workplaces. 

The guide will help you learn about:
🌱 The difference between peat and compost
🌱 What are bogs/peatlands and why they are important
🌱 Embracing soil as a living ecosystem
🌱 The five composting essentials
🌱 What can and cannot be composted
🌱 Troubleshooting composting bins or holding systems
... and much more