LITTLE ROT / SITE INFORMATION
Composting methods & planner guidance
The planner is designed to help you choose a workable process before you buy a kit. It compares wormeries, bokashi setups and compact compost bins. It does not promise a particular compost yield, completion date or saving.
Start with the destination
Confirm where the output will be used or accepted. A container is only one part of the process. If you cannot complete that process at home, a council food-waste collection or an agreed shared composting arrangement may be a better starting point. Check what that service accepts.
The wormery
Composting worms can process modest amounts of suitable kitchen scraps in a managed bedding environment. Feed gradually, keep the bedding appropriately moist and follow the supplier’s instructions on drainage, ventilation and harvesting. Shelter the system from temperature extremes and excess rain.
Allow extra space to lift the lid and trays and to use the drain. Confirm a use or destination for the resulting material. Keep another route for food waste while the wormery establishes or when feeding exceeds its capacity.
The bokashi setup
Bokashi ferments food scraps in a sealed bucket. The fermented material is not finished compost straight from the bucket. It still needs further decomposition, for example in suitable soil or an existing compost bin, following the kit instructions.
Confirm that the finishing route can accept each batch. Planters alone do not establish a suitable route. Budget for fermentation activator or bran and account for the bucket’s sealed resting period. The planner compares both bodies in the listed two-bucket kit in one layer; it does not assume that the buckets can be stacked.
The compact compost bin
A compact bin can suit kitchen and garden material where there is an appropriate outdoor position, drainage and enough dry “brown” material, such as suitable plain cardboard, to balance wetter inputs. Follow the supplier’s instructions on placement, mixing and harvesting.
A small bin will not necessarily heat up, and an insulated composter needs sufficient regular input for its particular design. This first-release planner does not calculate a hot composter’s operating feed requirement.
Measure the working area
- Measure usable width, depth and height, including the access route.
- Check lid opening, tray lifting, taps, harvesting and cleaning access separately.
- Include any base plate, stand or accessory that enlarges the footprint.
- For balconies, check permissions, drainage and load limits with an appropriate responsible person.
The equipment comparison checks published body dimensions, including quarter-turn rotation where supported. A body-size match does not verify working clearance, structural suitability or processing capacity. Approximate waste quantities help frame the decision; they are not a feed-capacity guarantee.
Understand the budget result
Enter a current Amazon UK quote for the complete setup and delivery. Include missing starter supplies, such as worms or bedding, and a separate base if required. The startup-budget comparison covers equipment and delivery. The multi-year worksheet adds your annual supplies estimate for the selected number of years.
The worksheet does not assume inflation, replacement equipment, savings or a monetary value for compost. Prices are entered by you; the site does not provide a live Amazon price feed.
Use the care tools and compost log
The “Can I add this?” tool gives method-specific guidance for a limited set of common inputs. For other materials, consult the RHS and your supplier. Dates and seasonal prompts are reminders to inspect the system, not proof that its contents are ready to use.
Plans and batch records are saved in the current browser. They do not sync between devices or domains. Export batch backups before clearing browser data or moving devices; backup files include your notes. No email reminders are sent.