Focus on... Compost heaps

Waste not, want not when it comes to recycling garden scraps, says Lucy – and the results of your endeavours will help to nourish the next generation of crops

WHETHER your compost area is large or small, indoors or out, there's a method out there to suit every household and gardening requirement. Let's look at the options for organic-rich bliss!

Get the balance right

The process itself is simple: grab a mixture of 'green' (such as kitchen fruit and veg scraps, broadleaved hedge pruning, sappy veg garden waste) and 'brown' material (like woody prunings, bark chips, dry leaves), mix it together thoroughly, keep moist and include the passage of time, and compost will be yours. It’s decomposed via naturally occurring fungi and bacteria, along with tiny creatures like woodlice, earthworms, nematodes and millipedes, into a nutrient and organicrich material that can ultimately be added back into your garden. Follow my checklist tips on page 20, and there's not much that can go wrong.

Size matters