The old time gardening guru, Arthur Loads once said that "the answer lies in the soil." And of that there is no doubt. If your soil is impoverished and poor, any plants or crops you grow will be impoverished and poor also. This is why the soil must be kept in good heart. It boils down to a simple mathematical equation; the equivalent of what you take out of the ground (by way of flowers, foliage, or vegetables) must be returned in some form.
These nutrients can be returned by applying artificial fertilizers such as Growmore or Miracle-Gro; but, useful as they are, they do nothing for the structure of the soil. This is why it is important to added bulky organic matter to the ground every year. Without it the soil becomes very thin.
Buying in lots of organic matter can be expensive, so if you aren't doing so already, why not make use of the waste plant material you are going to produce during the course of the summer, autumn and winter by creating your own compost.
A number of legends have sprung up concerning composting but there's nothing complicated about it at all. When we compost, we're merely imitating what happens in nature but on a contained scale. So what better time to start now that spring is here?
There are a variety of bins available, but the type to choose depends to a large extent on the space you have available. The first option is just to create a heap and cover it with polythene or carpet, however that looks awful. It's okay if you have an enormous acreage and can hide it, but most of us haven't, so therefore a bin is the better route to follow. Besides, they are neater and easier to manage.
Some bins are made of wood and are open-sided; these are fine but the rotting process can be slow. Also, being open, they can be a haven for rats. When we used to have slatted bins our rat traps were always busy and rarely empty for long. Our Cairn terriers earned their keep by catching some rats too!
Experience has taught me that by far the most convenient and easy way to make compost is by using a re-cycled plastic bin. These can be bought cheaply. Torridge District Council offer good sized bins for just £12 each, with free delivery. The photograph shows a council bin in action. They are tremendous value for money.
It is advisable to have two bins; one being filled, whilst the other is composting or being used. They can be rat-proofed by putting some fine mesh wire on the base of the bin.
The actual process of composting is simplicity itself. The key rule is to make sure there isn't too much of one type of plant material. In essence there are three types. Firstly, there are those high in nitrogen (essential for the composting process.) Examples are; grass cuttings, tea bags, animal manures, vegetable waste, nettles, urine (20:1 dilution) and things like these. Secondly there are materials rich in carbon such as cardboard, paper, old bedding plants, used potting compost, old hay and straw. Finally, other suitable items are namely, wood ash, hair (after you've clipped and combed your dog maybe,) egg shells, and natural fibres such as cotton or wool (100% of course, no artificial content.) Whatever you do though, do not try to compost meat, fish, cooked foods of any description, dog or cat poo, or anything highly acidic like the ashes of your fire grate (unless it's a wood burner.)
All you need to do thereafter is to keep a watchful eye on it. Give it a good stir once a month or so and at the end of the season you will have superbly textured and odourless compost to add back into your soil; the secret of success. You will have completed the natural cycle in a plastic bin - wonderful!
These nutrients can be returned by applying artificial fertilizers such as Growmore or Miracle-Gro; but, useful as they are, they do nothing for the structure of the soil. This is why it is important to added bulky organic matter to the ground every year. Without it the soil becomes very thin.
Buying in lots of organic matter can be expensive, so if you aren't doing so already, why not make use of the waste plant material you are going to produce during the course of the summer, autumn and winter by creating your own compost.
A number of legends have sprung up concerning composting but there's nothing complicated about it at all. When we compost, we're merely imitating what happens in nature but on a contained scale. So what better time to start now that spring is here?
There are a variety of bins available, but the type to choose depends to a large extent on the space you have available. The first option is just to create a heap and cover it with polythene or carpet, however that looks awful. It's okay if you have an enormous acreage and can hide it, but most of us haven't, so therefore a bin is the better route to follow. Besides, they are neater and easier to manage.
Some bins are made of wood and are open-sided; these are fine but the rotting process can be slow. Also, being open, they can be a haven for rats. When we used to have slatted bins our rat traps were always busy and rarely empty for long. Our Cairn terriers earned their keep by catching some rats too!
Experience has taught me that by far the most convenient and easy way to make compost is by using a re-cycled plastic bin. These can be bought cheaply. Torridge District Council offer good sized bins for just £12 each, with free delivery. The photograph shows a council bin in action. They are tremendous value for money.
It is advisable to have two bins; one being filled, whilst the other is composting or being used. They can be rat-proofed by putting some fine mesh wire on the base of the bin.
The actual process of composting is simplicity itself. The key rule is to make sure there isn't too much of one type of plant material. In essence there are three types. Firstly, there are those high in nitrogen (essential for the composting process.) Examples are; grass cuttings, tea bags, animal manures, vegetable waste, nettles, urine (20:1 dilution) and things like these. Secondly there are materials rich in carbon such as cardboard, paper, old bedding plants, used potting compost, old hay and straw. Finally, other suitable items are namely, wood ash, hair (after you've clipped and combed your dog maybe,) egg shells, and natural fibres such as cotton or wool (100% of course, no artificial content.) Whatever you do though, do not try to compost meat, fish, cooked foods of any description, dog or cat poo, or anything highly acidic like the ashes of your fire grate (unless it's a wood burner.)
All you need to do thereafter is to keep a watchful eye on it. Give it a good stir once a month or so and at the end of the season you will have superbly textured and odourless compost to add back into your soil; the secret of success. You will have completed the natural cycle in a plastic bin - wonderful!