Last weekend, Shara Community Gardens hosted a free, hands-on compost workshop as part of International Composting Week, bringing together locals of all ages to learn the ins and outs of turning food scraps into healthy soil.
Led by Nicki from North East Waste, the session attracted a mix of curious beginners, seasoned gardeners and kids keen to get their hands dirty. The workshop was practical, approachable and full of good questions, with plenty of time spent talking through what actually works (and what doesn’t) in a home or community garden setting.
Nicki shared some simple, useful tips that demystified composting for many attendees. A few takeaways that stuck with us:
- If your compost is too wet and smelly, it likely needs more air and more “brown” material like dry leaves or straw. Leave a bag of straw beside your compost and drop a handful or two in every time you’re putting in your wet compost from the kitchen.
- If it’s too dry and not breaking down, add moisture and more “green” material such as food scraps or fresh garden waste.
- Aim for a good balance of roughly one part green material to two parts brown to keep things breaking down happily.
One of the nicest parts of the workshop was seeing how much everyone took away from it, whether they were composting for the first time or had been doing it for years. People swapped stories, asked thoughtful questions and picked up new ideas to try at home.
A big thank you to Nicki from North East Waste for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm, and to everyone who came along to learn, listen and contribute. Workshops like this remind us that there’s always something new to learn and that shared knowledge is one of the best things about gardening together.
If you’re curious about composting or keen to build your skills, keep an eye out for future workshops or drop by the gardens and check out our compost system in action.
Shara Community Gardens 