Gardeners are being urged to put bread, pies and other pastry in their garden this year - for a very useful reason. It's not actually to feed birds with - in fact bread isn't terribly nutritious and the general concensus nowadays is not to feed bread to the ducks in the park, for example, or to leave it on bird tables, because it's high in sugars but low in nutrients.

No, gardeners are actually being urged to use old bread - as well as other pastry items like pies and pastry - to add to their compost pile, helping fruit and vegetables and strengthening hedges. That’s because bread and pastries are among the unusual items you can add to your compost bin to help create new, rich and nourishing soil for your garden.

When you think of compost, you probably think of adding leaves, dead flowers, potato and banana peel and gone off apples to your compost pile, to slowly turn into nutrient rich mulch that you can then spread on your garden to help it grow and improve the quality of your soil.

But there are actually all sorts of other household items you can add to your compost heap including bread.

Richard King, a gardening expert and director at Dino Decking, has offered advice on how to make the most of your waste by revealing unusual things you can compost that your garden will thank you for.

He said: “As we start spring coming in with longer days and warmer temperatures, gardeners will now see their compost piles thrive and for those who are just starting theirs, now is a great time to get recycling.

“Compost heaps are great for the soil, feeding plants rich nutrients and are a great way to give back to nature. By composting these often-overlooked materials, you’re reducing waste while enriching your soil with diverse nutrients.

“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, helping to maintain a healthy, diverse compost mix.”

Other unusual items you can compost include linens and cotton, as long as zips are removed.

Richard adds: "Surprisingly, cotton and linen materials can be composted. Provided they are free from dyes, synthetic blends, and buttons, or zippers have been removed these natural fibres decompose similarly to plant-based materials.

"They are made up of natural fibres and release organic matter back into the soil as they decompose. To help boost the decomposition process, cut them up into small pieces before adding them to the pile. 

"Pure cotton and linen fabrics are rich in carbon, making them an excellent ‘brown’ material for balancing the nitrogen-heavy ‘greens’ in a compost pile. However, make sure to avoid heavily dyed fabrics, or you risk introducing toxins into your compost."