Compost novice

[fraktion]

I'm getting fed up with a large proportion of our kitchen bin being taken up with vegetable waste.

We have quite a small garden, can we have a compost bin? Can anyone recommend what I should be looking at?

I'd quite like one with a drawer type thing so I can extract the compost from the bottom quickly.

Do I need worms?

It would have to go on a paved area, and there can be a bit if standing water so I guess I'd need to raise it up?

What do I need to do with it once I have it? Just feed it veg peelings and eggshells etc? How long will it take me to get compost?

You can pick up plastic compost bins with a lid and a flap at the bottom for extraction. Start with a lattice of sticks and build up with scraps like raw veg, newspaper, soil, manure, compost builder, grass cuttings, flower heads. Try not to add weeds or cooked food or meat. I have used worms but you need a special sort you have to get on Internet and them sift them out so bit time consuming. Then turn compost with fork to aerate and takes 1yr but is so worth it, goes like silk, can't buy anything like it

DH (aka Mr Compost) advises not having it on a paved area. Lift up paving slab if possible and place there. Key thing is to put plain cardboard in as well as green stuff as it composts better - it' s all in the mix. Don't worry about worms; if you build it they will come. We throw in all food waste including cooked and weeds and have great compost.