fruit and vegetable scraps (but avoid huge quantities of fresh citrus fruit skins as the worms that work away making your compost don't like an antiseptic they contain - let them rot down a bit first in a separate container outside)

tea bags and coffee grounds

old flowers and bedding plants

vegetable plant remains

young hedge clippings and soft prunings

weeds (but avoid persistent ones like celandine, nettle, buttercup, ground elder and bindweed which might not get killed off in the compost heap and so could reappear when you spread the compost around your garden. Mix these with grass cuttings in a plastic sack, tie up and leave for a few months until they're no longer recognisable, then it's safe to add them to the heap)

gerbil, hamster and rabbit bedding

Slow rotters

autumn leaves - if you have large quantities, make them into leafmould: stuff wet leaves into black bin liners, tie loosely and leave. After a year or two, you'll have some wonderful leafmould. Mowing leaves up from the lawn helps speed up the process by chopping them and mixing them with grass cuttings.

tough hedge clippings and woody prunings - chop or shred these if you can; compost large quantities separately; even if they're not shredded, they'll rot down eventually and can be used as a mulch

Do NOT compost

meat and fish

cooked food

coal and coke ash

cat and dog waste

glossy magazines

diseased plant material

cooked fruit and veg

When is compost ready?
Compost can be made in six to eight weeks or it can take a year or more. The more effort you put into turning the heap, mixing the ingredients carefully, making sure they're all shredded, the quicker you'll get compost. When it's turned into a dark brown, earthy-smelling material, it's ready for use, either dug into the soil or layered on top. Don't worry if it's a bit lumpy or sticky, with bits of twig and eggshell still visible, it will still work its wonder on your garden.

Useful links
To find out about any special compost bin offers in your region www.recyclenow.com

Home composting equipment: www.recycleworks.co.uk

Garden Organic's instructions for making your own wooden compost bins www.gardenorganic.org.uk

ivillage uk

Making Garden Compost