I garden on clay soil and so adding compost once a year is essential to help break down the clay. But whatever type of soil you have using compost in the garden is hugely beneficial – and as an added bonus it is free!
When doing a garden design, I am often asked to include an area for composting in the plan. And I would encourage everyone who has a garden to try. I have been gardening for twenty five years so I know I have the formula right now, but when I first started it seemed incredibly difficult. All the books I read gave different ideas on the best way to make compost and regular turning of the compost bin involving taking a fork to the heap and mixing up the contents was recommended. But in the end I did just did my own thing and realised there are no real ‘rules.’
All you need is a reasonably large area contained with breeze blocks, wood, or even chicken wire. I have three such areas:
When doing a garden design, I am often asked to include an area for composting in the plan. And I would encourage everyone who has a garden to try. I have been gardening for twenty five years so I know I have the formula right now, but when I first started it seemed incredibly difficult. All the books I read gave different ideas on the best way to make compost and regular turning of the compost bin involving taking a fork to the heap and mixing up the contents was recommended. But in the end I did just did my own thing and realised there are no real ‘rules.’
All you need is a reasonably large area contained with breeze blocks, wood, or even chicken wire. I have three such areas:
We bought the black plastic bin from the council a few years ago (in the background of the picture) but I found it made sludge not compost so gave up with it.I never turn the compost that sounds like far too much work! I simply add, along with grass cuttings and other garden waste, any organic matter we happen to have from the house, for example vegetable peelings. I even add the contents of the vacuum cleaner. The only don’ts are: no meat or diary products (they can attract rats.) You can’t use just grass cuttings or the compost turns to sludge. Wait a year for it to break down. That’s it – very simple and easy.
More and more people seem to be asking me to incorporate an area for growing vegetables in a garden design. We built three brand new raised vegetable gardens over the winter and this afternoon I emptied my compost bins into the vegetable patches. On a sunny Sunday afternoon in March, it gave me a glow of hope that spring is finally on its way this year!
