July Edition 2018
Compost
Compost
What would you think happens with the 25 bales of grass that was collected from the Johnstown Wood lawn recently? 6 missed grass cuttings generated roughly 5,000kg of grass in one cut. Over the summer you'll cut your own lawn a dozen times to fill up your organics waste bin. Don't pay to throw away those cuttings since your garden wants them back.
If you're willing to cut your lawn each week the fine clippings can be left on the grass as a mulch which will feed it.
If you're willing to cut your lawn each week the fine clippings can be left on the grass as a mulch which will feed it.
Alternatively make your own compost.
Alternatively make your own compost.
Compost is an additive which helps the soil retain moisture, adds bacteria and micro organisms which make the soil healthy. This promotes healthier plants and is 'black gold' to gardeners.
Compost is an additive which helps the soil retain moisture, adds bacteria and micro organisms which make the soil healthy. This promotes healthier plants and is 'black gold' to gardeners.
Fertilizer on the other hand feeds plants and not the soil. Used excessively it leaches into the Water Cycle where it's not at all welcome and farms in particular have strict rules on it's use.
Fertilizer on the other hand feeds plants and not the soil. Used excessively it leaches into the Water Cycle where it's not at all welcome and farms in particular have strict rules on it's use.
What's in those compost bags we buy?
What's in those compost bags we buy?
Grass and leaves make up the bulk of those bought it DIY and garden stores. Some will have added ingredients similar to 'Miracle Grow' to give you more than just your grass and leaves resold back to you. Make it Yourself since you already have the raw ingredients and you'll save money too.
Grass and leaves make up the bulk of those bought it DIY and garden stores. Some will have added ingredients similar to 'Miracle Grow' to give you more than just your grass and leaves resold back to you. Make it Yourself since you already have the raw ingredients and you'll save money too.
Make it Yourself
Make it Yourself
You could be filling a brown bin every time you cut your grass.
You could be filling a brown bin every time you cut your grass.
In 3 to 6 months that volume reduces to less than one grows bag.
In 3 to 6 months that volume reduces to less than one grows bag.
You can't just use grass since it gets soggy and smelly if left in a big pile.
You can't just use grass since it gets soggy and smelly if left in a big pile.
By adding brown items such as cardboard, leaves, finely chopped twigs you're letting air get into the mix which aides decomposition.
By adding brown items such as cardboard, leaves, finely chopped twigs you're letting air get into the mix which aides decomposition.
Mixed up every couple of weeks it further helps the process of creating compost.
Mixed up every couple of weeks it further helps the process of creating compost.
If you're not keen on this simply leave it and the process takes care of itself since mother nature doesn't do any back breaking work either.
If you're not keen on this simply leave it and the process takes care of itself since mother nature doesn't do any back breaking work either.
You could purchase a tumbler bin or box container but provided you keep to some simple rules you'll make compost.
You could purchase a tumbler bin or box container but provided you keep to some simple rules you'll make compost.
Rules
Rules
No meat!
No meat!
No chemicals such as weed killer.
No chemicals such as weed killer.
Equal amounts of brown and green mixed.
Equal amounts of brown and green mixed.
Small pieces not big chunks.
Small pieces not big chunks.
That's it.
That's it.
What's green ?
What's green ?
These contain the nutrients so the better the content the better the compost.
These contain the nutrients so the better the content the better the compost.
Raw peelings or finely chopped veg, grass cuttings, green leaves..... No cooked foods.
Raw peelings or finely chopped veg, grass cuttings, green leaves..... No cooked foods.
What's brown ?
What's brown ?
These add air and fibre and they don't contain many useful nutrients. The Fifty 50 mix stops the wet grass clippings clumping together.
These add air and fibre and they don't contain many useful nutrients. The Fifty 50 mix stops the wet grass clippings clumping together.
Dry leaves from autumn, tiny and fine twigs, plain shredded cardboard, handfuls of soil, waste compost.
Dry leaves from autumn, tiny and fine twigs, plain shredded cardboard, handfuls of soil, waste compost.
Creatures
Creatures
Rodents won't be attracted provided there's no cooked food or meat.
Rodents won't be attracted provided there's no cooked food or meat.
Queen Bees do like to winter hibernate but it's at the time you'll not be interested in the compost so leave them alone.
Queen Bees do like to winter hibernate but it's at the time you'll not be interested in the compost so leave them alone.
Flies are attracted to the warmth and moisture so use a sheet of cardboard to cover the pile and it will keep the rain off and help keep the heat in the pile. Place the pile in an unloved part of your garden and you'll not notice them.
Flies are attracted to the warmth and moisture so use a sheet of cardboard to cover the pile and it will keep the rain off and help keep the heat in the pile. Place the pile in an unloved part of your garden and you'll not notice them.
Space
Space
A 1m x 1m x 1m pile will become 2 or more compost bags depending on what brown stuff you added since they don't break down as quickly.
A 1m x 1m x 1m pile will become 2 or more compost bags depending on what brown stuff you added since they don't break down as quickly.
Time
Time
The clock starts when you add the first ingredients so don't expect instant success.
The clock starts when you add the first ingredients so don't expect instant success.
An easy option is collect this season to use next spring.
An easy option is collect this season to use next spring.
Concentration of nutrients.
Concentration of nutrients.
It's the tea bag effect which is what the plants want so the more nutrient rich the ingredients the better. Grass has a low value, leaves have next to nothing but raw veg is packed with goodness.
It's the tea bag effect which is what the plants want so the more nutrient rich the ingredients the better. Grass has a low value, leaves have next to nothing but raw veg is packed with goodness.
Accelerator ingredients can be purchased but there's a free and readily available source of bacteria called soil. A handful sprinkled each time you add the grass cuttings is perfect.
Accelerator ingredients can be purchased but there's a free and readily available source of bacteria called soil. A handful sprinkled each time you add the grass cuttings is perfect.
Keep making it
Keep making it
Just like Tea bags lose strength in water after their first use, compost expires after 3 months. After this time the nutrients have leached into either the ground or been absorbed by the plants. The bacteria and micro organisms have used up the available 'food' and it becomes just a soil filler.
Just like Tea bags lose strength in water after their first use, compost expires after 3 months. After this time the nutrients have leached into either the ground or been absorbed by the plants. The bacteria and micro organisms have used up the available 'food' and it becomes just a soil filler.
You can return compost back into the heap as brown ingredients.
You can return compost back into the heap as brown ingredients.
Contact
Contact
Read Next in July Edition 2018
Read Next in July Edition 2018
