Composting to Feed your Garden
There are so many ways to reduce your waste and feed your garden and composting is one of the secret ingredients to improving your garden.
Composting is also a great way to make a positive contribution to combating climate change and becoming responsible gardeners.
Soil that is rich in compost can store more active carbon from the atmosphere because it contains more active soil life and healthier, natural soil enhancers.
This article by Odile, a longstanding EHS member, shares some great ideas on reducing waste and making your own compost.
Make a compost pile or bin which will hold materials that decompose. Keep it well turned and ensure that you are mixing green and brown organic materials (no fat, meat or bones).
Build a leaf mould bin to hold fallen leaves that will break down and become a great spring or fall addition to your garden beds or flower pots.
A great way to speed up the decomposition is to place the fallen leaves in a large bin and mulch them using your power trimmer!
Re-use water from your dehumidifier, kettle or even the cooled water when boiling eggs to water indoor or outdoor flower pots and garden beds.
Save your eggshells: let them dry out for about 1 week then smash them or grind them and add to your compost or leaf mould bin. You can sprinkle them on your flower beds too and around Hostas to help keep slugs away.
Put about 5 ground down egg shells in a 2 litre pop bottle, fill with water, loosely close the bottle, set in the sun. In a few days the water will smell, then use it to water your plants, pots and containers.
When tilled into the soil, ground eggshells provide your plants with calcium. Though nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are most vital for healthy growth, calcium is also essential for building healthy “bones”—the cell walls of a plant.
Do the same with used coffee grounds.
For small, indoor, balcony gardening options - look into an electric composter which will accelerate your food and plant waste right in your home. There are many on the market to choose from.
