Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

WM you do have a wicked sense of humour,love it :D :D

We use a garden vac/blower that shreds. It's a brilliant tool particularly for getting at the leaves that creep under our hedges.( And yes we do leave some leaves under some of the hedges as shelter for wildlife/foraging birds) We'll gradually empty the black sacks as layers on the compost heaps...

Oops, Need to add to that message.The composted bark came from my local family run garden centre. I'm still a novice at computing. Lou S

I might add that if you work on clay soil the salt will harm your soil structure, while the benefits from the alginates in it are unnecessary, so possibly best avoided. It is a matter of balancing the need for organic matter with the need to keep sodium out of the soil profile which tips in...

Thanks guys It's my first attempt at composting and it seems to be rotting down really well. Taking on board all your advice, think I'll play 'slugs in space' with the ones on the lid and sides and any others I can grab and then scrutinise the compost before I use it to make sure there's...

I use about two thirds multi-purpose compost and one third sharp sand. All the books I have read suggest added drainage material.

of course stupid me

Probably fruit flies as the name implies probably feeding on your fruit waste they are no problem at all part of the composting cycle

Thanks, no i think i have been lucky this year and the plants have remained really healthy.

Mine have often looked just about dead and then started new growth at the tips of shoot. At present just about half of the leaves are brown and dry, but I'm still getting new cucs forming.

DAVE W. THANKS FOR THE USEFUL tip.cant' get soot. but plenty of ash.

I got mine free through the council scheme. the website address is www.compost-it.org (I think).Good luck. The other way to get them free of course is your local freecycle site. They are always popping up on our freecycle. Try listing a wanted on it.

Many thanks for the info and links, very useful, I'll err on the side of caution! John

At the moment we have to put our rubbish in black backs and recyclables in a small blue plastic box (box supplied by LA). We have been told that we shall all be getting three large wheelie bins with different coloured lids that will be collected different weeks. The colours refer to what you...

Hi Scully.I am Blonde as well,and I am always having a Blonde moment,or getting wound up about everything and anything,so you are not alone.Kandy

Thanks Kandyfloss, I just looked and its a very good site. I have just got a new compost bin and have only this week turned out the old one into the new one to get some air in it.

Cover it with an old rug or bit of carpet and it will help prevent evaporation.

Well sea weed has a good write up so i will be colleting some this week end i guess after what all of you have said ie (wish you could get lots of it) and (the write up bit) it must be good for the soil so we will give it a try.

Thanks every one been a great help will try this out

First of all the slugs are doing a job turning the material into compost. Slug eggs are quite easy to see, small round clear balls about 2 to3 mm across. The ants are more of a problem, I would sprinkle some ant killer on the heap and see if that wiped them out.