WITH the gardening season in full swing we are now generating quite large quantities of organic waste. Weeds, lawn mowings and discarded spring bedding plants can all be put to good use if a compost heap is organised now.

Make sure it is a compost heap you create, not a garden rubbish tip. Properly made, a compost heap will produce a rich brown friable organic material that is a perfect soil conditioner. A rubbish heap will yield a smelly mess that will need to be disposed of elsewhere.

The ideal structure for containing a compost heap is that which is known as a New Zealand bin. This is about a cubic yard in volume and is a bottomless wooden bin which sometimes has a fitted top. Although, more often than not is covered with a metal sheet or piece of old carpet.

Ideally, you should have two bins, one which is full of maturing compost, the other which is in the process of being filled with waste material. By the time the second bin is filled, the first should be ready to be emptied and the compost used.

A dry free draining position should be chosen for a compost heap. Wet soggy material takes considerably longer to decompose than refuse stacked on a quick-draining base.

Once the site has been selected and the bins put in place start adding compost. This should be done in layers, alternating where possible tough coarse material, with soft green weeds or lawn mowings.

If animal manure is available, then provide a generous covering after every 12 inches of vegetation. Soil is an acceptable substitute, introducing some of the beneficial microbes which will aid decomposition and adding weight to the heap.

Throughout the stacking process every effort should be made to keep the heap level by treading raised areas. This breaks any crossing stems which may produce air pockets and hamper decomposition.

Regular additions of fresh waste are preferable to occasional large deposits, for small quantities of green matter feed the action of decomposition, maintaining a steady temperature in the heap, thereby turning it into compost quicker. At the same time such intensity of heat will kill any lurking weed seeds.

In addition to garden waste, add any organic household materials. Tea leaves, apple and potato peelings, faded bunches of flowers and banana skins are all potentially valuable compost. Even eggshells crushed up and thrown into the mixture benefit the end result.

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