Every week, most households send a bin full of potential straight to landfill — banana peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, that sad bag of wilted lettuce at the back of the fridge. Meanwhile, our gardens are crying out for exactly what those scraps can become: rich, dark, crumbly compost.
If you've ever felt intimidated by composting — worried it'll smell, attract vermin, or turn into a slimy mess — take a breath. Composting is one of the most forgiving processes in the whole gardening world. Nature has been doing it for millions of years without any help from us; all we're doing is giving it a helping hand and a tidy home to do it in.
Whether you're working with a big backyard or a compact courtyard, there's a composting method that'll suit you. Let's break down exactly how to get started.
Why Bother Composting?
- Free, nutrient-rich fertiliser for your veggie patch, garden beds, and pots
- Improves soil structure, helping it hold moisture and nutrients
- Cuts down on landfill waste — food scraps make up a huge chunk of household rubbish
- Reduces methane emissions produced when organic waste breaks down without oxygen in landfill
- Saves you money on store-bought soil conditioners and fertilisers
Step 1: Choose Your Composting System
Compost Bin or Tumbler — A closed bin or rotating tumbler is the easiest option for beginners. It's tidy, keeps pests out, and tumblers make turning the mix a breeze.
Open Compost Heap — If you've got the space, a simple heap or three-bay system works well and costs next to nothing to set up.
Worm Farm — Perfect for small spaces like courtyards, balconies, or units. Worm farms are compact, virtually odourless when managed well, and produce both compost and a liquid "worm juice" fertiliser.
Bokashi Bin — A fermenting system that handles cooked food, meat, and dairy scraps that regular composting can't take. Great as a first step before adding to an outdoor compost system.
- Beginner tip: If you're not sure which to choose, a simple bin or tumbler is the easiest starting point for most home gardens.
Step 2: Find the Right Spot
- Choose a spot with good drainage, ideally direct on soil or grass (not concrete) so worms and micro-organisms can move in and out freely
- A little morning sun helps speed up the process, but full, harsh afternoon sun can dry things out too quickly
- Keep it within an easy walk of the kitchen — you're far more likely to keep it up if it's convenient
Step 3: Get Your Greens and Browns Balanced
The secret to compost that breaks down quickly without smelling is balancing two types of material.
Greens (nitrogen-rich): fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea leaves, fresh grass clippings, plant prunings.
Browns (carbon-rich): dry leaves, shredded cardboard and newspaper, straw or sugar cane mulch, twigs and small sticks.
Aim for roughly three parts browns to one part greens. Too many greens and your compost turns wet and smelly; too many browns and it breaks down painfully slowly.
Step 4: What to Avoid
Not everything belongs in the compost. Steer clear of:
- Meat, fish, and dairy (unless using a Bokashi system first)
- Diseased plants or weeds gone to seed
- Glossy or coloured paper
- Pet waste
- Large branches or woody material that won't break down quickly
Step 5: Build and Maintain Your Pile
- Start with a coarse layer of twigs or straw at the base to help airflow.
- Layer greens and browns, roughly alternating as you add material.
- Keep it as damp as a wrung-out sponge — too dry and it stalls, too wet and it turns anaerobic and smelly.
- Turn it regularly, every week or two, to introduce oxygen and speed up decomposition.
- Be patient. Depending on your method and the weather, compost can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to mature.
How Do You Know It's Ready?
Finished compost is dark brown, crumbly, and smells like fresh earth — not like rubbish. You shouldn't be able to recognise the original scraps anymore. Once it's there, dig it through garden beds, mix it into potting mix, or use it as a nutrient-rich mulch around existing plants.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding too many greens and not enough browns (the number one cause of smelly compost!)
- Letting the pile dry out completely
- Adding meat, dairy, or diseased plant material
- Forgetting to turn the pile
- Expecting compost overnight — good things take a little time
Ready to Start Composting?
Composting is one of the simplest ways to close the loop in your garden — turning kitchen scraps and garden waste into the very thing your plants need most. Once you get your rhythm down, it becomes second nature, and your garden (and the planet) will thank you for it.
Drop into your local Gro garden centre and our team can help you choose the right compost bin, tumbler, or worm farm for your space, plus point you towards compost starters and accelerators to get things moving — see you in store!