Mulch and Compost. How to mulch and compost in your garden...

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1 Mulch and Compost How to mulch and compost in your garden...

2 Compost Composting is a great way to recycle kitchen and garden waste and improve the quality of your soil. Compost bins or heaps generate high internal temperatures and will: Convert waste materials quickly into good quality compost. Not create unpleasant odours during the process. Destroy weed seeds and harmful disease organisms as long as sufficient heat is generated. Get almost too hot to touch rising to at least 60 C. Adding compost to your garden beds helps to: Nourish and enrich the soil. Improve structure and drainage. Increase its ability to hold onto available moisture. Encourages healthy soil microbial activity. Step 1 CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIN Use a bin to keep the heap tidy and protect from the rain. There are two main types of bin: Home made using chicken wire, timber, cement sheeting or roofing iron. Plastic, purpose-made bins that are convenient, lightweight and clean. Talk to your local Plants Plus Garden Centre about the range available. Step 2 POSITIONING YOUR BIN Placing your bin directly on the soil will allow: Excess moisture to drain away - a non-porous surface will become too wet and the contents will rot, becoming slimy and smelly. Soil borne organisms (e.g. earthworms) to make their way up into your bin to breakdown the waste.

3 Step 3 MAKING COMPOST Include a good balance of greens and browns GREENS include: Vegetable and fruit peelings Teabags Lawn clipping Garden Waste BROWNS include: Shredded Newspapers Paper / Cardboard Autumn leaves Twigs Straw or hay Sawdust You can also add crushed eggshells, lint from the tumble dryer and pet hair. Additives are not essential, but they can have some benefits: Nitrogen may speed up the breakdown process. Gypsum may help to reduce odours. Compost Makers /Starters may encourage the proliferation of soil borne organisms. Lime It is not necessary to add lime. Contrary to popular belief, compost is not highly acidic and the use of lime may render the final product unsuitable for garden beds that contain acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias. Step 4 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? A fully enclosed plastic bin with a lid in a sunny position will create compost within about six weeks. In cooler months it may take longer due to the lower temperature. Larger bins may take longer as they generally have a greater surface area where heat is lost. DO NOT use: Meat, Fish or dairy products Oil and fats Used Cat litter Plastic coated cardboard Cooked food Diseased plants Your compost is ready to use when: It resembles a rich dark loamy soil, with no evidence remaining of various materials used. It is slightly moist and crumble freely in your hand and it should smell sweet and organic.

4 TIPS Place your bin in a sunny location to speed up the process. Do not pack or compress material in the bin. Your compost heap should be moist but not wet. Turn your heap regularly. THE RESULT

5 Mulching the garden A good layer of mulch can reduce evaporation from the soil surface by as much as 70%, so it s a must in a water-wise garden. Mulch also helps to keep the weeds down, prevent erosion and even out soil temperature variations. SOIL PREPARATION Thoroughly weed your garden bed, leave the soil uncovered for a couple of weeks, then repeat the weeding process. Fork the soil over to a depth of about 15cm to break up any surface caking. Apply a wetting agent to help water soak deep into the root zone of your plants. Thoroughly water the garden bed. LAY MULCH Spread an even layer of mulch over the soil. 6cm layer for fine mulch. 10cm layer for course material. Keep mulch clear of tree trunks and plant stems to avoid them rotting.

6 Mulching WHAT SHOULD I USE AS MULCH? There s a large range of natural, organic materials suitable for mulching which will break down over time and improve soil quality, including: Wood chips including brightly colour wood mulches. Pine bark in various sizes. Straws. Bush Mulches. Recycled Timber Mulches. Bagged Earthcore Water Saving Mulch. Other natural materials and inorganic mulches including: Pebbles, Crushed rock, Scoria or Gravel. Crushed recycled glass. Shredded recycled tyres can help to reduce weeds and save water. They will not decompose. Tips! A good layer of organic mulch will: Reduce moisture loss through evaporation. Keep the soil cool during the hottest months. Break down into humus to improve soil texture and fertility. Reduce weed growth. Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view more inspirational ideas! îs.25682_aug2012