What You Can Add To A Compost Heap.
Composting any raw vegetable matter, any garden clippings and annual weeds can be added to your compost heap.It is not advisable to add any meat or cooked food as it will attract vermin.The compost heap should be ideally one cubic meter or larger so that it can heat up in the middle enough to kill any weed seeds.I do not like to add any perennial weeds, or like bindweed and dandelions as they are very resilient and survive the composting process.With perennial weeds you can add them to a bucket of water and make a liquid feed soup (for plants) out of them or alternatively leave them out on a wire rack in the sun to dry out totally.l Only when they are throughly dried out and dead can they then be added to the compost heap.I do not to add any weed seeds to the compost heap but burn these instead.
When building your heap you ideally want to get a balance between high nitrogen ingredients like lawn mowings and high carbon ingredients like stalks and stems fallen autumn leaves etc.
You also want to turn your compost with a fork to let air into it so that it will break down more quickly as the fast acting bacteria that live in compost heaps need air.If you find your compost heap is smelling of rotten eggs needs more air. If on the other hand it is smelling of ammonia it is too rich in nitrogen and needs more carbon (stalks etc.) adding.
With potatoes you want to use certified seed potatoes as they are pest and disease free. You also want to practise crop rotation so that they are not growing in the same patch of ground each year as you can get a build up of potato eelworm in the soil.Last year was a very bad year for potato blight so you need to keep a look out for it.
Gardening courses for beginners - new to gardening a GardenAdvice course is an ideal place to start
GardenAdvice One-Day Gardening Courses
GardenAdvice one-day gardening courses are specially created for gardeners with a range of skills, from beginners to expert gardeners. Our courses take place in your own garden, anywhere in the UK, led by GardenAdvice expert gardeners on a date that suits you – a perfect gardening gift for the gardener in your life.
Become a more confident gardener with the GardenAdvice Gardening Course.
Whether you're new to gardening or have some experience, it can seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and gardening terminology. GardenAdvice.co.uk has developed a specially designed, one-day course to teach you the basic skills of gardening and help you get started.
The courses, held in your own garden, cover essential skills such as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs, and creating the perfect lawn. You can also see some of our clients from the gardening courses and our MyGardenTeam service in the client section of the GardenAdvice website.
For more information, visit our gardening courses section or email us at admin@gardenadvice.co.uk. Alternatively, you can phone us on 01225 941023.
