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Farmyard
manure, peat, kitchen waste, grass cuttings or any other organic
material which will break down, all helps to keep the soil in tip
top condition. |
| Farmyard
manure is one of the
best of all soil dressings but remember it must be well rotted
before it is applied onto your soil. Composting material before it
is ready actually draws nutrients out of the soil and defeats the
object. Cow manure is good for light soil and horse manure for heavy
soil. It is possible to over manure, so use little often rather than
a lot at one time of the year. |
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When farmyard
manure is unobtainable make your own compost. Place all non woody
plant material, grass cuttings, leaves, tea bags, kitchen waste and
more into a composter. Air and water are needed to break down the
plant material. During this process heat is produced which will
destroy weeds and disease spores. Do not put any roots onto
the compost heap as these may harbour disease. Spring to early
summer waste will produce good compost for the autumn. In a very wet
season cover the heap or composter with wood or polythene to prevent
the materials getting waterlogged.
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Only use the
well rotted compost, brown-black, which is found at the bottom or
the middle of your heap. Fork this into the surface layer of your
garden up to 12" deep. One or
two spadefuls a square yard should suffice.
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| In summer,
compost can be used to top dress your borders (mulching) to help
retain moisture and to keep roots cool. The remains of a compost
heap are ideal to plant marrows, courgettes and cucumbers. |
| Chemical
fertilisers should not used alone but only to supplement organic
manure. |
| The three
essential elements for healthy growth. |
| NITROGEN:
Promotes
leaf growth. |
| SUPER PHOSPHATE:
Strong roots. |
| POTASH: Colour,
flavour, flowers. |
| Examples,
cabbages are a leafy crop and will respond well to nitrogen
dressings. Carrots require super phosphate and potash. |
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Other
nutrients like magnesium, boron, iron are usually present in well
rotted compost. |
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Things to
avoid putting on your compost heap: Pet
waste, pernicious weeds, meat, bones, fatty foods, human waste,
diseased plants, chemically treated wood, cooked food, coal and coke
ash, cat litter, glossy magazines, baby nappies.
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| Good things
to add to your compost heap:
Grass cuttings, hay, kitchen waste
including tea bags, leaves manure, straw, weeds (avoid weeds gone to
seed), wood chips, saw dust, shredded paper, human and animal hair,
corn cobs and stalks, twigs, coffee grounds, raw fruit, comfrey
leaves, cardboard, egg boxes, Gerbil/Hamster/Rabbit bedding.
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| Composting
products available online.......... |
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See the full
range of composting accessories Click
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