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Welcome to
Maze Compost
Helper
Helper
Australia's composting experts. What can we help you with today?
Find My Composter
Maze
Step 1 of 5
How many people in your household?
We'll use this to size your composter and estimate yield.
Step 2 of 5
How would you describe your outdoor space?
This helps match you to the right size and style.
Step 3 of 5
What do you mainly want to compost?
Different systems handle different types of waste.
Step 4 of 5
Where would you keep your composter?
Location helps us match the right size and style.
Step 5 of 5
How would you rate your composting experience?
We'll match the system to your confidence level.
Getting Started
Maze
How to start composting
A simple guide from first scrap to rich garden compost.
🌀 Step-by-step: your first compost
1
Choose your system
Pick a composter that suits your space and what you want to compost. Apartment? Go bokashi or worm farm. Garden? A tumbler or open bin works great.
2
Set it up in the right spot
Outdoor bins go directly on soil so worms can get in. Tumblers need a level surface with room to spin. Bokashi bins sit in the kitchen — no smell when sealed.
3
Start adding your waste
Aim for roughly half "greens" (food scraps, grass, coffee) and half "browns" (cardboard, dry leaves, paper). Chop or tear things up — smaller pieces break down faster.
4
Keep it healthy
Compost needs moisture (like a wrung-out sponge), air, and the right balance of materials. Turn tumblers every 2–3 days. Open bins mostly look after themselves.
5
Harvest and use your compost
When it's dark, crumbly and smells like forest floor — it's ready! Mix into garden beds, use as mulch, or blend into potting mix at 20–30%.
Tip: Don't worry about getting it perfect. Composting is forgiving — just keep adding material and nature does the rest.
♻️ What can I compost?
✅ Yes: Fruit & veg scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags, grass clippings, leaves, cardboard, paper, hair, plant prunings.
⚠️ Only in bokashi: Meat, fish, dairy, cooked food, citrus, onion.
❌ Never: Diseased plants, pet waste (except with specialist products), treated wood, metals, plastics, glossy paper.
🏠 Which system is right for me?
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Bokashi Bin
Ferments ALL food waste indoors including meat and dairy. Fast (2–4 weeks), odour-free, compact. Pre-compost must be buried in soil to finish.
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Worm Farm
Worms turn raw veg scraps into rich castings and liquid fertiliser. Compact, odourless, great for small spaces and apartments with a garden bed.
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Compost Tumbler
Spin to aerate and speed up decomposition. Pest-proof and fast (4–8 weeks). Great for medium to large gardens with a mix of kitchen and garden waste.
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Compost Bin
Large capacity, open base sits on soil. Worms do the work. Low effort, handles high volumes of garden and kitchen waste. 12–20 weeks to first batch.
🔧 Troubleshooting
Smells bad? Too wet or too many greens. Add torn cardboard, turn the pile, improve airflow.
Not breaking down? Too dry, too cold, or not enough greens. Add water and some fresh food scraps.
Attracting pests? Never add meat or cooked food to open bins. Bury food scraps under browns. Switch to a sealed tumbler.
Worms escaping? Too hot, too acidic, or too much food. Move to shade, reduce feeding and add crushed eggshells to neutralise pH.
Find a Product
Maze
Ask a Question
Maze
Which composter for a small apartment?
Can I compost meat and dairy?
What size tumbler do I need?
How do I fix smelly compost?
How do I use bokashi liquid?
