Learn About Composting Day

Today is learn about compost day!

Here are a few questions and answers about compost:

What are the benefits of composting?

Well, compost is one of the most valuable additions for your soil in your garden. Compost is plant material that has rotted down. This then provides nutrients and organic matter and when added to soil boosts plant growth and plant health. The organic matter improves the soil structure and for light sandy soils helps to retain moisture. Compost improves any soil type.

What can you compost?

Any plant material that you have cut down, harvested or plants that you have taken up. Many weeds are great in compost, but you do need to watch out for seeds as some of these may not rot down. Tomatoes are renowned for resisting the heat from a compost heap. Usually, when you spread the compost out, if you have added tomatoes to the heap, then seedlings will appear!

Most plant material can be composted. However, some plants that have thick roots such as couch grass and dandelions are best not composted straight away, as the roots often survive and these then start to grow when you spread the compost. A good way to prevent this is to dry out the roots in the sun first to make sure that they have died.

Leaves in the autumn are great and if you put leaves in a wire container, they will rot down into beautiful leafmould that is also excellent for soil health.

How can I make compost?

Compost is easily made in pre-built compost bins that are readily available. These may be constructed from wood or plastic. I like to make compost bins from spare untreated pallets. I bind them together with thick twine and they last for a few years before rotting down themselves!

Place the plant material in layers in your compost bin. Grass clippings do not compost very well and these benefit from mixing with other plant material rather than left. Woody material can be cut up small with a garden shredder and will then rot down quickly.

Cardboard and paper rot down well in a compost heap, but do be careful that there are no dangerous chemicals used in any printing.

How long does compost take before it is ready to use?

This can depend on the size of your compost bin, the mix of plant material, the temperature and the amount of moisture. Mixing the compost material regularly will speed up the process and it is possible to make great compost in as little as 6 weeks. I have 3 compost bins and I fill one at a time and leave the others to rot down for as long as they need - this might be a year. The wait is worth it!

Of course one huge advantage of composting is that you are reducing, recycling and reusing!

If you have any questions or need any help starting to compost - let me know.