It’s easy to make your own compost for the garden.
It’s also great for garden plants. Gardeners refer to it as ‘garden Gold’.
You will also save time by not having to take your garden trimmings to the recycler.
It’s also good for the planet, as it allows you to recycle materials without having to pay petrol.
Over the years, there have been some misconceptions that have developed about composting. Check out which ones are true.
What is better, garden compost or potting compost?
This one is a little confusing. Two different types of compost are available. There are two types of compost: one is garden compost and the other potting compost.
Compost is waste that has rotten. Compost can be created from kitchen scraps, or from the garden trimmings. Add paper or cardboard.
Compost can be used to enhance your soil. Compost improves soil health by retaining water, feeding microorganisms, and providing food for worms. You will see your plants grow faster and more flowers.
Laying 2-3″ of garden compost on the borders every year or two years is a great way to make use of it. If you follow this method, most plants will not need fertilizer.
The potting soil is…
In the garden center, you can buy sacks of potting compost. The compost is designed for use with container plants and in seed trays.
The majority of people do not make their own compost for potting. For those who do make their own compost, the RHS recommends a mix of two thirds garden soil to one-third garden compost.
When buying potting soil, look out for the brands that are marked “peat-free”. Even if the product is labelled as organic, it will still contain peat if not marked “peat-free”.
If you want to use compost in your garden, the potting compost from the garden center is not the best product. Instead, buy well-rotted manure or mushroom compost.
Composting garden waste is super easy!
Purchase or build a compost container. If you have the space, it’s good to buy or make more than one.
Continue adding it. Continue to add it. You may think that your bin is already full but the material will reduce as it decays. There is always room for a little more.
It is important to shake it or rotate it periodically.
Over a period of 6-18 months, it will turn into a soil-like brown substance. It’s now ready for use as a border.
That’s all there is to it. It’s as simple as that.
What are green and brown refuse?
Green waste includes grass, leaves, coffee grounds, and green plant parts.
Brown waste includes cardboard, newspapers, twigs and sticks, dead leaves or wood chips, as well as straw.
There’s really no reason to fret. You just need an approximate split. When pruning plants, you’ll often find a mixture of green and brown leaves (woody stems). I’ve found that life tends to produce a mixture of brown and green waste, so you don’t have to worry about the proportions.
The compost will smell and possibly become slimy if you add too much green. Add newspaper or cardboard cut into small pieces and toss it in.
What is the best type of compost bin to use?
Compost can be piled in plastic or wooden bins. The plastic bins heat up, which speeds composting.
You can select from squares, bell-shaped or ‘beehive’ shapes.
Personal, I like the square bins better because they maximize the available space.
Compost ‘piles’ are best suited to large gardens with plenty of room.
It seems that the bell-shaped bins can only hold a certain amount of material. It is also difficult for me to “turn” the compost or to put waste into the bell-shaped bins.
The beehive bins are something I have never used. Again, they are not the best way to use space.
When choosing a bin for composting, there are a few things to consider
If you choose a compost bin make sure the lid is easily accessible. Check that you can easily remove the lid to dump in your raw materials. A lid is needed to protect the material from rain and keep it dry. If you’ve got an open heap, cover it with a tarpaulin.
You will also need a spade or fork to turn or stir your compost. If you’re using a top that is small or difficult to remove, it will be more difficult to turn and stir the compost.
It is also important that you can easily remove the compost . Idealy, you’ll have at least two bins so you can let one pile rot. The compost can be taken out from the bin in one go or you can take it up the sides.
If you have only one bin available, the compost is supposed to be removed through the removable bottom slat. To date, I’ve never come across a bottom slat that is comfortable. Friends also agree. You can forget about that hatch, small door or slat at the bottom. It will be useless.
Compost ‘piles’ are best suited to large gardens with plenty of room.
It seems that the bell-shaped bins can only hold a certain amount of material. It is also difficult for me to “turn” the compost or to put waste into the bell-shaped bins.
The beehive bins are something I have never used. Again, they are not the best way to use space.