We love to compost in the Paddock and we would love to help you compost too.
Food waste
The Paddock has compost bins that members can drop off their kitchen scraps whenever they visit the garden. Members weigh their scraps, log the amount into a form (so we can record how much we are processing), and then empty the scraps into a compost bin.
Our bins have signage and a system of bin tags is used to indicate how the bins should be used:
FEED ME (green) sign – the bin is currently accepting deposits. Add your food scraps and a layer of ‘brown’ material (saw dust or leaves).
TURN ME (red) sign – the bin is full and is currently composting. DON’T add any food scraps. If you have time, grab one of the compost corkscrews and spend a few minutes aerating the bin. This helps the process along and helps minimise smells.
USE ME / I’M READY (blue) sign – the compost in this bin is ready to use in the garden. Feel free to use some on your plot, and try to leave some for other members.
What DO we put in compost bins?
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Tea bags (if the bag can be ripped open) and coffee grounds
- Shredded paper and cardboard
- Dry leaves and grass clippings
- Straw and sugar cane mulch
- Egg shells
- Coffee husks
- Sawdust
What DO NOT put in compost bins?
- Meat, seafood and dairy (including bones)
- Fats and oils
- Greasy food scraps
- Large amounts of carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta)
- Plastics (Watch out for rubber bands, bread tags and fruit stickers)
- Receipts
- Dog and cat poo (obviously!)
Food Scrap Friday
On Fridays we throw open the Paddock doors and everyone in the community is welcome to come in with their scraps and a team of volunteers will help you add them to the bins.
Learn about our wonderful program to direct food waste away from landfill here.
Garden waste
The Paddock operates four open compost bays specifically for organic garden waste. No food waste is to be added to these open compost bays.
When adding garden waste, please be careful not to add weeds or seeds and please chop your waste finely to speed up decomposition.
As a general rule, the smaller the pieces, the faster they will break down – especially when it comes to food waste and garden clippings. A whole apple or orange will take months to decompose, but if you chop it into pieces, it will break down in weeks or days. The same idea applies when composting garden waste like stems and vines. Chop it finely and it will disappear before you know it!