Composting is a vital component for your organic garden.

To compost or not to?  That is the question.

• Composting is the cheapest source of organic material to build your soil.
• Composting is a convenient way to convert kitchen scraps to valuable humus.
• Composting recycles almost any organic material.

What to add in layers

• Plants that need pulling out of the garden.
• Succulent weeds (no seeds).
• Vegetable that are past their use by date.
• Lawn clippings.
• Fruit peelings and scraps.
• Egg shells.
• Tea leaves.
• Coffee  grounds.
• Animal manure.
• Straw (in thin layers only).
• Newspaper (only shredded and soaked in water).
• Yesterday’s flowers.
• Hair and dust from the vacuum cleaner.
• Urine is good. (Pee in a bucket, add approximately same quantity water, then water on compost heap weekly).

Do not add

• Fatty and greasy kitchen scraps.
• Meat , fish, dairy or cheese. These will attract vermin.
• Diseased plants.
• Tough roots.
• Thick dry sticks and other woody material.
• Onions and lemons. (Earthworms also have likes and dislikes. These sharp tastes are not their favourite dinner!)

Tips

• Begin by putting dry leaves, small stones and  sticks on slightly sloping ground.
• Big roots, weeds especially with seeds should not be added unless you are making “hot” compost.
• To counter acidity, occasionally sprinkle on a handful of lime or wood ash.
• Cover final layer with lid, or hessian or old carpet.
• Keep moist not soggy.

There are many ways to speed up the decomposition

• Add compost worms.
• Turn and water weekly.
• Shred ingredients before adding.
• To activate your compost heap add leaves of comfrey , yarrow, elderberry,  tansy or borage. (These  magnificent herbs encourage bees and valuable insects to the garden as well)

When is compost ready ?

When it smells deliciously earthy and is dark brown in color and crumbles in your hand I call this BLACK GOLD!

Sadly comfrey is considered a weed and is not easily purchased from a commercial nursery. My advice is to beg, borrow or steal from a friend. Once you have it, you too can share with other friends who don’t have it. Lets share the love around I say!

To purchase your Low Budget Organic Gardening Ebook click this link. 

 

“Soil is the substance of transformation”  

Carol Williams