This International Compost Awareness Week Garden Organic and  Master Composters are helping to get more people composting by running compost training sessions all across the UK. Composters will  deliver short, simple training sessions during the week, with the aim to empower non-composters with the knowledge and inspiration they need to start.

If you've never composted before, or are looking to improve your existing composting, come along to your nearest workshop to pick up some hints and tips.

The Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that the use of a home compost bin diverts approximately 150 kilogrammes of waste per household away from landfill sites each year, and of course it produces valuable rich compost to help out in the garden, so isn't it about time you gave composting a go?

I will be putting together my activities soon. I have one event provisional planned  a talk on Wormeries at

Buckingham Nurseries and Garden Centre

at 4pm 10th May

 www.buckinghamgardencentre.co.uk  tel 01280 827910

I have added a new page to www.carryoncomposting.com   covering toxic and invasive plants. This includes poisonous leaves such as Rhubarb, and the myth that the leaves will poison your composting bin, the compost and all grow in it, together with irritant undesirable plants (not forgetting our useful friend  the stinging nettle) as well as plants such as Common Ragwort, Thistles, Docks. Hogwort and Japanese Knotweed 

While recognising that all living things can be composted given time  it is better that some are not just  in case  a piece of viable  root or a few seeds survive and are spread with the compost. 

More information on wood chip and sawdust etc will be follow soon.

In recent weeks I have given three sessions for different carers groups. All, being people of a certain age (shared by me) where shocked by the amount of food waste in the UK and how rather than being the fault of farmers and retail we as consumers are to blame.

One interesting point that arose today was what to do if you are a lifelong composter but can no longer  garden so do not   use the compost. The kitchen waste continues as is the urge to compos it rather than send it to landfill. I have suggested that they try to interest a local garden club which might have members  who would help out. Other ideas are welcome.

I am now working on a new page on composting  toxic plants and wood. Suggestions welcome

I have now added a new page to carryoncomposting.com. This gives information on composting across the seasons. It differs from other  seasonal composting guides in that it includes information on the feedstock that is available both at home and on the allotment plot. 

Normal gardening guides tend to empharsise the sowing and planting times but on this page we detail the periods when crops might be harvested making trimmings and peelings  available for composting. 

I will be giving a talk on Home Ciomposting at the village hall for Brauston in Rutland Garden Club at 7:30 on 16 February. The talk will include the environmental case for composting reducing waste sent to landfill, the main items of food waste,  choice of a compost bin or method, getting the mix right (Greens and Browns), aeration of the bin, harvesting, wormeries and compost teas. The village hall gives the Club contact as : Mary Brookes 723047 The code for Braubston is 01572

For those that cannot attend. 

UK households binned £13bn worth of edible food in 2015  Wrap  estimated 7.3m tonnes of household food waste was thrown away in 2015 –and increase from 7m tonnes in 2012.  This  averaged at  £470 worth of food per UK household.  

We will show what foods are wasted the most and how much could be composted.

Free composting talks are available for Clubs, Allotment Societies etc across the East Midlands . Sessions for schools are also available