There’s plenty of interest in organic compost – and plenty of shops selling it. But in my research for this article, I’ve found plenty of pitfalls too. The very definition of organic compost is questionable, and not all organic compost is good for the environment. Some gardeners assume that organic compost is also peat-free – …
Think the history of compost is boring? Think again. In this article you’ll find bones stolen from graveyards and battlefields to fertilise Yorkshire fields. You’ll find Egyptians facing death for stealing earthworms and ancient people using blood to fertilise their gardens. You’ll also find some sound principles and solutions that could well help us in …
Compost History: The Fascinating Story of an Ancient Science Read More »
You don’t need many tools to make compost. As long as you’ve got something to collect your compost in (wheelbarrow, caddy or even a bag or sack), somewhere to put it and something to turn it with, you can make compost. But additional compost tools can be useful for: The enthusiast: Some tools can be …
A few years ago, a man knocked on my house door when I was at work. My wife answered. ‘I’ve got a trailer full of shit here for you.” (It was a big trailer.) She wasn’t very happy. When she asked me why I hadn’t asked her first, I asked her if she would have …
Want to get rid of cooked food at home or in the garden? Don’t have enough waste for a hot composter, and don’t like the idea of having a worm bin? If that’s you, you might well be considering getting a Bokashi bin. But hold your horses! First off, you might want to know how …
I think wooden compost bins are my favourite bins of all. And that’s nothing to do with their insulating properties, and all to do with their looks. Wooden compost bins look nice, and they keep make it easier to build a compost pile without it collapsing into a mess. I have three pallet bins in …
I first heard of the HotBin several years ago, when I was discussing gardening with the owner of the local convenience store. Chris is a keen gardener, and in-season grows nearly all the veg he sells his village shop. It was spring, and the conversation soon turned to getting the garden ready. Chris told me …
Dig around for a bit on the net, or bury your head in a few gardening books, and you’ll soon start to unearth some fun facts about composting. Here’s some of our favourites compost facts… 1. There’s a bird that makes compost to incubate its eggs Evolution can head in some weird and wonderful directions. …
22 Fascinating Facts About Composting You Probably Didn’t Know Read More »
You don’t need an in-depth understanding of composting terms in order to compost successfully. But if you’re keen on developing your composting skills and knowledge, and understanding of key terms can quickly come in useful. In this post we explain many of the terms used in more in-depth guides. Do note we haven’t included bins, …
In the summer I can haul several wheelbarrows of weeds in a day to my compost heap, rapidly building up its size. But things are very different in the garden in winter. Having just come back from a pleasurable hour in the garden, I’ve only managed to pull up a small bucketful of weeds and …