PLANNING FOR SEASONS TO COME

A rustic compost heap can be fashioned from a few wooden posts and a piece of wire mesh. Firstly, four posts are hammered into the ground at the desired distance from one another to create the four corners. The netting is carefully wrapped around the outside of the posts until they are covered. Any excess can be removed with pliers. The netting is then fixed to the posts using metal hooks hammered into the wood. Fallen leaves are collected and emptied into the compost area. The leaves will naturally break down into leaf mould, which can be used as

seed-sowing compost. The leaves of hornbeam, oak and beech produce the best leaf mould.