Gardeners are being encouraged to get composting in an effort to cut down on household waste being sent to landfill sites.

As part of National Compost Awareness Week – which started today and ends on Saturday - Richmond Council is promoting the use of its compost bins which can be bought for £10 from the Townmead Re-use and Recycle Centre in Kew.

Good compost is made of 50 per cent nitrogen rich greens – like vegetable peel and egg shells, and 50 per cent carbon rich browns – such as straw and scrunched up paper.

Gemma Scott, the council’s recycling manager said: “Everyone wants to be as environmentally friendly as possible with their rubbish and composting is a virtually free way for everyone can to do their bit to cut down the amount of bin bags we send to the tip every year.

“It’s also a great way to save money because you can feed your garden for free, so you don’t have to buy expensive and environmentally-damaging peat-based compost.”

Tally Foster, secretary of the Barnes, Richmond and North Sheen Allotment Association supports the drive.

She said: "Compost is popular with plot holders because it improves the soil and helps grow healthy plants. A healthy plant is more equipped to fight off attacks from insects and viruses and therefore we get bigger and better crops."

A competition is being run until next Friday where everyone who buys one of the bins will be entered into a draw to win vouchers worth £20 for Squires Garden Centre, Sixth Cross Road, Twickenham.