Simple steps for composting

It is becoming more and more obvious these days that we need to recycle as much as we can, and anyone with a garden has an advantage and can make a huge contribution.:

You need a compost bin, and the type you choose depends on the size of your garden, but there are a couple of options:

A purpose-built plastic container bought from a garden center, not too expensive; and it just fills up from the top and a few months later you can take compost from a little hatch at the bottom.

Alternatively, if you can wield a saw and some nails, you can make an enclosure of wooden slats, one square meter, or you can buy them ready-made, and cover it with a piece of old carpet to avoid the worst weather conditions.

What can you compost:

- all raw fruit and vegetable peels
- tea bags, tea leaves and coffee grounds
- eggshells
- dead house flowers
- and garden, soft pruning worn bedding plants, dead leaves, lawn pruning
- used compost from hanging baskets or containers
- some drying materials such as shredded paper, rabbit and guinea pig bedding.

The only thing to be careful with is mixing different types of material; If you have too many grass clippings in a large mass, they will become soggy and slimy, or if there is too much paper and pruning, it will be too dry. So keep an eye on it, especially if you're using the wooden enclosure, and mix it up occasionally with a fork.

What NOT to compost:

- all meat and bone products; bread, cooked food - these will attract vermin
- dog or cat excrement
- woody material - taking too long to compost
- weeds - these can 'infect' your compost
- plastic.

And since you won't always feel like going to the compost heap when it's wet or cold or whenever you peel vegetables, why not leave a lidded container by the back door that you can fill and then make the trip to the compost? bin every one or two days?

Over a period of time, from 3 months to 1 year, depending on conditions, all of this stuff will have decomposed into beautiful dark brown crumbly compost, which you can place on your beds and borders. It is an excellent soil conditioner and can be used as a surface mulch, helping to lock in moisture and discourage weeds.

You can also turn fallen leaves into wonderful compost. Rake the leaves from your lawn (you may have to do this several times during the fall) and collect them from the edges. Put them all in a black garbage bag, sprinkle with water, poke a few holes around the bag with a fork, tie the top and leave it in a corner for about a year. What you end up with is known as leaf mold.