I’m a gardening expert – my Christmas dinner leftovers ‘colour’ trick will make your garden thrive in 2025
ONE of the best things about the festive season is the delicious Christmas dinner we get to tuck into.
And the incredible amount of food we have during our feast usually means we have enough left for a hearty sandwich on Boxing Day.
And while people love some leftover turkey, other Christmas dinner staples often end up being tossed in the bin.
But what you maybe didn’t know is that you could compost some other festive scraps.
Not only does this help reduce food waste, but it’s super easy and rewarding – and your garden will thank you for it.
Richard King, Director at Dino Decking and garden expert have revealed how you can make the most of your festive leftovers by putting them into your garden.
And they also shared their top colour tricks which help make sure your garden is full of nutrients.
Richard’s first colour trick involves using “green” fruit and vegetable scraps which are ideal for composting.
He explains: “From potato and carrot peelings to leftover sprouts and parsnips, these green materials are a perfect base for composting.
“Fruit and veg break down quickly and add essential nutrients like nitrogen to your compost, providing the energy microbes need to transform waste into rich, garden-ready compost.”
Next, use carbon-rich “brown” foods to balance out the “green” veggies.
Richard adds: “Plain bread, cracker crumbs, and even stale mince pies (minus the foil…obviously) can be composted as long as they aren’t covered in butter or dairy.
“Baked goods are carbon-rich browns that balance out the greens from fruit and veg scraps.
“This helps to maintain a healthy, diverse compost mix.”
The garden pro also told how you can use other plant-based items for your compost.
Richard says: “Walnut shells, coffee grounds, and plastic-free tea bags are excellent for adding texture and variety to your compost.
“Nutshells break down slowly, improving aeration, while coffee grounds and tea add nutrients like potassium and magnesium, which plants love.”
However, Richard also warned that there are some festive leftovers that you should not add to your garden.
For example, wrapping paper should not be added to your compost.
This is because it contains non-biodegradable materials like plastic, glitter, metallic coatings, or dyes that can contaminate your compost.
9 simple tips for rescuing your outdoor space after winter
Beechgrove Garden favourite George Anderson has shared his ten simple tips for rescuing your outdoor space after winter.
- Can you dig it? – ANY areas you want to cultivate crops on, from a vegetable patch to an allotment, the first thing to do is fork it over. And don’t sow anything until you see the first weeds germinating — that tells you the soil is at the right temperature.
- Call off the mild – WATCH out for that false spring — as we can still get frost right until the end of May.
- Split decision – THERE will be established flowers in your borders, so this is the time to cut them down to just an inch above soil level. Fork around them and treat them with a balanced fertiliser around the flower clumps.
- Mulch obliged – AT this stage in the year you should not be doing an awful lot of pruning, you should be giving them the lightest of trims to get them into a good shape.
- Bee bug friendly – A GARDEN does not need to be spick and span. You need to leave space for the wildlife and the insects which will help you.
- The right sting – NOW wasps don’t have many allies, but they are a gardener’s friend as they eat a lot of greenfly, small caterpillars and other aphids.
- Seize the day – REMEMBER you are a gardener, there’s no need to take part in chemical warfare.
- Bloom service – GO to your nearest garden centre once a month and buy the things that are in flower.
- Smell the roses – SIT in your garden once a week without doing anything and look around and plan what you want to do.
Some people choose to add little bits of wrapping paper to add some texture, but before you do, Richard suggests checking if your wrapping paper is compostable by doing the scrunch test.
He said: “Scrunch the paper into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it’s likely plain paper and safe for composting.
“However, if it springs back or has a shiny, glittery surface, it’s not suitable for compost.”
Other things like meat, dairy, gravy, or oily foods, should also not be used in compost.
This is because they can attract pests and slow down the composting process.
Richard advises: “Stick to plant-based scraps for a happy and healthy compost heap!”