Now is the ideal time to start preparing your garden for the upcoming Spring.
With August here, we can assure you that spring will follow very quickly, as seasons change rapidly in South Africa - now would be the perfect time to take up your garden that has been neglected during the winter months.“With seasonal change, comes trend changes and preparations in all parts of the house. Get the garden tools out of the shed and get ahead on planning and creating your perfect spring garden” advises Craig Hutchison, CEO to Engel& Völkers Southern Africa.
Here are 10 tips on how to make your own compost heap by reusing and recycling your garden waste:
BUY A DECENT COMPOST BIN
- If you don't fancy building a compost heap, try a compost bin. They're compact,and perfect for smaller gardens and yards.
PICK THE PERFECT SPOT FOR YOUR COMPOST HEAP OR BIN
It's best to place it on a level, well-drained spot, which will ensure that any excess water drains away easily. This also helps worms and other bugs to move in and get on with the job of breaking down the content.
LET THE WORMS DO THE HARD WORK
- Nature has provided us with the perfect waste disposal unit in the form of earthworms. They can live their whole lives in the dark and love the moist atmosphere of a wormy or compost heap, eating the waste material you put in and converting it into liquid feed and compost.
PUT THE RIGHT STUFF IN
- Good things to compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. These are fast to break down and provide important nitrogen as well as moisture.
- It's also good to include things such as cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves. These are slower to rot but provide vital fiber and carbon and also allow important air pockets to form in the mixture. Crushed eggshells can be included to add to the list of useful minerals.
DON'T PUT THE WRONG STUFF IN
- Certain things should never be placed in your bin. No meat or dairy products unless you've opted for a digested. No diseased plants, and definitely no dog droppings or cat litter, or babies' nappies. Putting any of these in your compost will lead to unwanted pests and smells.
- Also avoid composting perennial weeds (such as dandelions and thistle) or weeds with seed heads. Remember that plastics, glass and metals are not suitable for composting and should be recycled separately.
GET THE BALANCE RIGHT
- The key to good compost lies in getting the mix right. You need to keep your“greens” and “browns” properly balanced. If your compost is too wet, add more“browns”. If it's too dry, add some “greens”.
- Making sure there is enough air in the mixture is also important. Adding scrunched up bits of cardboard is simple way to create air pockets that will help keep your compost healthy. Air can also be added by mixing the contents.
GIVE IT A GOOD AIRING
- A well-cared-for compost heap requires regular turning, which can be a tricky job without the right tools. Turning your compost helps to aerate and mix up the waste and cuttings, which leads to faster composting.
BOOST TO THE SYSTEM
- You can encourage the correct enzymes in your compost by using a compost activator. It helps to turn your grass, leaves and garden waste into dark,rich, crumbly compost in less than half the time.
- You mix a small amount into water, pour it onto your compost and after 10 weeks of rotting your compost is ready to use.
TURN FALLEN LEAVES INTO COMPOST TOO
- You can use fallen leaves as a good source of compost. It's fine to add these to your compost bin but if you have large amounts of leaves, large biodegradable leaf bags are ideal.
- Once you've gathered up your fallen leaves they can be left to turn into a brilliant source of moisture-rich soil improver that's great to use for potting mixes as an alternative to peat. The leaves will be kept neatly in one place and the sack will bio-degrade, leaving you with a rich pile of wonderful compost.
GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR COMPOST
- When your compost is ready you'll have a dark brown, almost black soil-like layer at the bottom of your bin. It should have a spongy texture and will be rich in nutrients.
- Spreading the finished compost into your flowerbeds greatly improves soil quality by helping it retain moisture and suppressing weeds. It also reduces the need to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
