The process of how compost is made – and how it benefits soil and plants – is fascinating. It’s also useful, as an awareness can help you create faster compost, better soil and healthy, luxurious plants.
If you’re new to the science of composting, we suggest starting with The Science of Compost – How Compost Happens!
Back in the 19th century, Albert Howard, considered one of the fathers of composting, was a big fan of adding lime to compost. In recent decades, though, the practice has been discouraged by many composters who see it as unnecessary. After all, lime is alkaline. While compost goes through some major pH swings, it usually …
Lime Increases Compost Speed and Maturity Finds Study Read More »
Have you ever noticed all the gardening tips that flood tabloids at the start of the gardening seasoning? You know the sort of thing – “This one tip will supercharge your plants says expert” and the like. One that made the rounds this year was the use of coffee grounds, with ‘experts’ advising us to …
The Garden’s Barista? Worms’ Impact On Coffee Grounds Read More »
Would you ever use fresh compost in the garden? One friend of mine did, and used to wax lyrical about the benefit of free municipal compost. “It’s still hot, James – it warms the soil in the spring!” Much as I loved him, he was completely wrong in this case! Fresh compost can be high …
Compost Maturity Matters: Why Fresh Isn’t Always Best Read More »
When I worked in Thailand at the start of the century, I was told that local farmers divided their land into two sections. The first section was where they grew crops for sale. These were grown in the modern way, using pesticides and fertilizers. The second was a smaller patch, where they grew their own …
Is Compost-Grown Veg Better For You? Here’s What The Science Says Read More »
18th May 2023 Imagine you had a simple kitchen ingredient in your cupboard that could make your compost hotter, enhance its nutritional value, AND reduce harm to the environment. If a new Japanese study is right, the cooking oil you use every day could be that ingredient! The researchers had already identified that adding cooking …
Researchers May Have Just Discovered A New Composting Hack – Cooking Oil! Read More »
14th May 2022 Every time we finish a meal, and throw food scraps away in the trash, we’re contributing to a massive global problem. Over one-third of our human food waste is trashed – and the emissions that waste produces are helping to kill our planet. However, a new study just published in Nature has …
How Composting Could Be A Game-Changer In The Fight Against Carbon Emissions Read More »
2nd May 2023 Gardeners and farmers alike are suffering from the effects of climate change. As heat waves sweep across the world, water levels are dropping – and tomato yields are particularly affected. However, a new study may have the answer – at least for tomatoes. Morrocan researchers compared the use of conventional chemical fertilizers …
Are Your Plants Suffering from Climate Change? Scientists Have a Solution Read More »
Do you know which of Darwin’s books sold best when first published? Heads up, it wasn’t the Theory of Evolution – it was actually his book on worms. Darwin was both fascinated and impressed by the creatures, stating: “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part …
Worms of Steel: How Fast-Evolving Worms Can Remove Metal From Compost Read More »
25th April, 2023 With the advent of AI and development in robotics, a future is fast approaching when much of your work (and maybe your composting too!) could be done by robots. But what will happen when those robots come to their end of life? Will it lead to a new endless stream of waste …
This Young Engineer Just Made Robot Parts Compostable… Read More »
A new study has uncovered the secret role of viruses in breaking down organic matter in compost. While bacteria are known to play a major role in nutrient cycling, researchers have often overlooked the role of viruses in composting. Using advanced techniques, scientists have delved into the impact of compost bacteria and their viruses during …