How Do I Make Compost?

[Rosemary]

I always buy bags of compost from the garden centres but with the problems over manure contaminating allotment crops this year and the possibility that bags of compost bought from the garden centres could also be affected I need to try and make my own compost. I only have a small garden with a tiny bit of grass so what should I use to make compost? I've never made compost before so I will be grateful for any help and tips.

[paul]

Hi Rosemary,

Make a nice sized square patch in your garden / allotment. put wooden barriers around it. ( make a big box !! ) Get plenty of old and new horse manure, old kitchen waste such as cardboard, braken and peelings from your veg to give it body and plonk it all into the square. turn it over regularly and in a good few months it will be done. I dug up a load of worms and put them in too and they will break the mixture up even better for you.

Hope that helps.

Paul

[sarahangela]

Hello people

A piece of advice I heard about from my local nursery is that sorrel contains high levels of tannin and if you put some into your compost heap, it will help break down the organic matter more quickly.

I added some sorrel to my compost about two weeks ago (the sorrel grows really well in my herb garden, and its not a herb I use every day) but its too soon to tell whether this advice works!