5 Best Composting Guides Every Aussie Gardener Should Read
I’ve read a lot of composting guides over the years. Some are too basic, some go way over the top, and most don’t suit our climate. So I’ve rounded up five that are actually useful, especially if you’re after something practical that works in your backyard.
I tend to keep things very simple these days. My favourite method doesn't involve any calculations or back-breaking turning. All you need is a mower with a catcher! This method (see my video here!) works best in autumn when there are plenty of brown leaves to pick up. As you're mowing the grass, run over the brown leaves as well. Combined with a bit of animal manure or a healthy scoop of finished compost, these mixes start composting overnight and do pretty much all the work themselves.
1. Biome’s Beginner’s Guide to Composting
Biome has a great intro guide for anyone starting from scratch. They explain the difference between greens and browns, outline a few common composting methods (like worm farms and bokashi), and include simple troubleshooting tips for things like smells and fruit flies.
If you’re in a warm, humid part of Australia though, you’ll probably need more dry matter than the average guide suggests. We run our mower over fallen leaves to bulk up the browns, and I’ve found that helps stop the pile from going slimy. Hay or sugar cane mulch (affiliate link) is fantastic, too! Adding a bit of manure or letting the chooks scratch around in it gives things a good kick along too.
2. Compost: Transform Waste Into New Life
This composting book goes into more detail than most. Charles Dowding is a no-dig gardener from the UK, and his compost system is simple but effective. ‘Transform Waste Into New Life (affiliate link)‘ covers what to add, how to build your pile, and how to tell when it’s ready. He’s big on observation—looking, feeling, and trusting what your compost’s telling you, rather than chasing perfect ratios.
Some of the climate advice won’t line up with Aussie conditions, but the main principles still hold. If you want a bit more depth or you’re working on improving your compost quality, it’s worth a look.
3. Worms Eat My Garbage
This book is a classic! It's your ultimate worm composting starting guide. It takes you through the full process of setting up and maintaining a worm bin, and covers everything from which worms to choose to what to feed them. It was originally written by Mary Appelhof and has now been updated by Joanne Olszewski.
It's based on experiences from the U.S., but the principles are very relevant to Australian conditions. The one thing to keep in mind is the heat – you may need to provide a cooler, shadier place for your worms than the guide specifies.
4. Gardening Australia's Composting 101
This guide from Gardening Australia Magazine is a fantastic guide to starting a compost heap in your backyard. It covers the basics: what compost is, how to start composting, where to place your compost bin, what materials to include, and how to maintain your compost. It also talks about the different ways of composting, such as using bins, bays, tumblers, and worm farms.
5. Aussie Gardener's Free Composting Tutorial
I'm a huge fan of Aussie Gardener, as you may have read in previous posts. Sometimes if feels like my whole garden is made up of their stuff! They have many great tutorials on their website, and I particularly like this video about composting. Brian and Kaylene have a no-nonsense style and they keep it simple so you don't get overwhelmed. Plus, they show the whole process from start to finish!
If you’re new to composting, or just want to dive deeper into the process, these five guides are a great place to start. They cover everything from simple backyard piles to worm farms and bokashi, with tips that help you get started the right way.
I'd love to hear about your composting process – please leave a comment below!
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