The last 12 months has seen a huge surge of interest in gardening and home composting and in Norfolk, sales of compost bins hit their highest levels for over ten years.

“Composting gives me a feeling of satisfaction,” says Anne Wiltshire, a Norfolk Master Composter volunteer. “Every time I add more organic matter into the compost bin, I notice how quickly the level has shrunk down. The smell and feel of freshly made compost is wonderful and I get free, quality compost and I know exactly what ingredients have gone into making it!”

Jamie Garcka, first-time home composter, has also developed a strong passion for composting, as he adds: “My favourite bit is knowing that I'm helping to give back to the earth. That and getting a lot of joy from knowing there’s a whole eco system going on in there - the worms!”

It’s easy to get started, as Norfolk County Council has teamed up with Get Composting to offer a range of cut-price compost bins starting from just £10 for a 220-litre black bin. You can also buy one and get another the same size at half price. For details of special offers and a step-by-step composting guide, including tips on what you can put in your bin visit www.norfolkrecycles.com/home-compost

You can ask Norfolk County Council’s expert Master Composters volunteers for help, or invite them to give a local talk or to run an event. You can also attend one of our free webinars. Just email master.composters@norfolk.gov.uk

Here’s a great bit of advice from Master Composter, Bee Springwood: “You don’t need a big garden to make compost. Just place your compost bin on bare soil or slabs, put in a good mix of wet materials like veg peelings and dry materials like twigs and cardboard. Then let nature recycle your waste into wonderful compost.”

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