It’s the ultimate form of recycling – Christine Strutt tells us how to get started

Entire books have been written on the subject of composting, but as far as I am concerned, there are three reasons to compost. Firstly, my instinct, when confronted by a piece of fruit that shows evidence of occupation by slugs or other wildlife, is to throw it away; keeping a compost bin allows me to indulge my squeamishness with minimal waste. Knowing that it will rot to become a beautiful, black, loamy substance, which will improve the soil and encourage new growth in the garden, placates my conscience. Secondly, composting eases the load of waste collectors and therefore the quantity of landfill waste, and thus the release of carbon emissions from slowly rotting food. The third reason is the magical way that waste products become a valuable source of nutrients and improvers to the soil, giving back what has been taken from it.

Kitchen compost bins

My kitchen compost bin is a vintage white enamel bucket. Probably 80 years old, it is still going strong. It is easy to clean and has a wholesome, traditional look about it.

I never cover my compost bucket while it is in the kitchen. The main reason is so that it does not get forgotten and begin its festering process inside the house. During the summer months, you may need to empty the kitchen compost bin daily as it tends to attract flies; in winter this is less of a problem.