The hottest place in Ålesund in #Winter is my compost heap!!

My name is the English Gardener & I’m a composter, “there I said it”. I’m ready to get you all outside & yes even in winter to give it a go. Especially in winter, it is possible!! the added bonus of seeing the steam generated by the organisms will give you goosebumps I’m sure. It’s healthy, exciting, super for our wellbeing & helps the planet. 

#Composting is trending 

I really believe that #composting is becoming trendy again, the increased awareness of #mentalhealth problems is greater than ever and gardening is the go-to aid to recovery. Its common knowledge that #gardening can heal, physically strengthen us & mentally repair us. Our gardens are our connection to growing & our closest physical playground, so let’s use a bit & #compost!

REALLY!!! Are you not composting?

I find its one of the most therapeutic tasks in the garden, I get a serious kick out of recycling the most materials I can from my family’s waste. The vision can be obscure, I assure you it can be organised, not messy or smelly. The minimum you need is a 1m2 frame though, to get the temperatures going enough. Don’t be to put off if you only have an apartment with only a small balcony. Of course, space is an issue but there are some great alternatives like a #wormery or a wall-mounted #tumbler to save space.

There is an enormous amount of watchable or written material on “how to compost” but it is as simple as digging a hole where you are planning to plant & drop some waste in for added nutrients. I find that usually, we produce daily far too much to drop in holes on a regular basis but you get my point, it’s only a soil conditioner.

Whats worked for me

1. I control the amount of water going into the pile with a lid, this helps the pile by not being too wet. Secondly, I use it to stop airborne seeds dropping into the pile through the seasons, I try not to spread weed seeds throughout the garden. And thirdly to keep the heat in once those microbes have started the party, a very useful item.
2. I use a #compost thermometer, it lets me know the temperature ranges in the pile, telling me if the microbes are liking what I am doing. It is great to indicate whether or not I need to add water or aerate the pile.
3. I aerate the pile as oxygen will rapidly speed up the process & I do this with my trusty  #burgonandball Flexi compost aerator 

My story

Surprisingly, my love for #composting came about 2 years after I started my first home composting with my first house. Though an amateur gardener at the time, I loved trying, pottering and making some fun mistakes. I enjoyed the idea of making compost as part of my yearly tasks, I attempted 3 large barrels with holes in. It wasn’t a bad start but I now can clearly see my errors. A spark occurred in that moment & it wasn’t until I started my horticultural courses with the #RHS that I discovered a new improved love for #composting. The course that I took explained all about the subject & cleared up some important things I was doing wrong. After this, I was off like a racehorse with a new system & I haven’t looked back so to this I thank The Royal Horticultural Society for igniting the flame.

A thought to finish..

A quick message from our friends in the garden, whichever method you choose, try to take care of checking your pile for wildlife. You will be making that area extremely comfy & warm so it may attract some small friends. If you have an open pile up against a wall, before you turn it give it a quick check.

 

Hoping you will give it a go & do get back to me with your updates

Thanks to #RHS #YOLO #SUPERWURM #FELCO  & #BURGONANDBALL

From

#hagebrukspesialisten #theenglishgardener #goprogardener