Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

Woodchip used as a path breaks down in 2-3 years, at which point it may be spread on to beds with/as compost for autumn application, thereby giving soil a barrier for planting through in the following Spring. Replace with new chip.

@infradig Most of the compost will be coming from containers that housed failed/poor attempts at broad beans, carrots, broccoli and strawberries. Fortunately no blight on last year's crop of potatoes.

Thank you @infradig and @Allotment Boy.Interesting about Tomorite tomato feed in the trial. I wish I could recall which tomato feed I used that killed a shrub rose. I remember not having time or patience to measure the dosage properly and by the next day it was curtains. Before then it was my...

I've weighed out 5 grams and its pretty much a level spoonful of the spoons that come with Chempak. Got a 5 litre can.

I have two open piles for my compost heaps, I never turn them or chop anything. They never get warm and take a couple of years to rot down. I do, when I think about it, sprinkle a handful of compost activator over them. Garrota, other brands available.

Thank you! The OH is obsessed with the Annabelle's so didn't want to disturb them!

Remove any roots and shred the rest - it shouldn't then be a problem in the compost heap/box.

I find it a little bit of a pain, personally. The ratio of green/brown/twiggy material has to be just right or it stinks to high heaven. And the bottom compartment has a tendency to fall off if its over full.I find emptying it pretty unpleasant, but that may be because my ratios aren't quite...

Take up fishing for perch.......

I would dilute it 50% and use it on fruit and veg. Most of the home-made feeds, comfrey, nettle, etc., smell disgusting, so I wouldn't worry about the smell.

I would use it as mulch but wouldn't mix it with compost. If it is on the surface and open to air exchange then there are no real problems but if you mix it into the soil then it may rob nitrogen from the surrounding soil. This might not be a massive problem if used as a mixed mulch with compost...

I use huge quantities of leaf mould. Having a variety of massive trees I am up to my eyeballs in leaves at this time of the year. Certainly a good proportion of the leaves are from 2 massive Copper Beech trees but also collect mounds of Sycamore and Ash. The ones on the grass I collect with the...