Sustainability and recycling
Compost to help the garden and the planet, says Peter
RESEARCH scientists are continuing to make remarkable discoveries, and this week I read about road construction developments that will absorb daytime heat to reduce the temperatures in cities on hot days and generate electricity, so pavements glow in the dark and reduce the need for street lighting. While all manner of research projects are set to improve our environment, home owners can also help the planet and their soil by composting organic waste.
It is so frustrating to see wheelie bins loaded with lawn mowings, green weeds, fallen leaves, crop and ornamental plant debris taken away in lorries burning fossil fuel, when it could all be composted on site. It does, of course, take a little time and effort, but it has to be worth the work. Fallen leaves are the easiest – heaped wet, pressed down and given two or three years in a wire netting sided bin produces lovely weed-free leafmould. This is a valuable material for soil improvement, mulching
(two years composting will probably be enough for this use) and as a dilutant in potting composts. Dead leaves can also be treated, albeit on a smaller scale in black polythene bags.
While deciduous leaves are broken down at low temperatures by saprophytic fungi, other organic debris requires heat to get bacteria working rapidly. It is very satisfying to empty a compost bin, mix partially decomposed plant material in with more sappy green plant remains, and see it drop in height within days as the whole lot heats up.
I am fortunate to have space for two compost bins, so can empty one into the other and, when refilling, endeavour to start with a couple of boxes of green lawn mowings. The latter will heat up quickly to fire up activity through the rest – push a cane into the heap and leave for a few minutes, and on withdrawal it can be almost too hot to handle!
“It is frustrating to see bins loaded with lawn clippings”