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Tip Store: Gardening: Compost
Soil Improvement
I have never been successful with making compost but have now found a way to improve our poor soil without having to continually purchase bags of compost. I put all peelings, trimmings, remains of salads etc. in the vitamiser and puree it all in water. That is then put on the garden and turned in. By working in sections l have been able to greatly improve the organic content of the soil.
Contributed by Louise Drummond
Contributed by Louise Drummond
Trenching
I was taught this art by my father many, many years ago and it still remains my favourite way of feeding my veggie gardens. It does require a little more garden space, either 30cm between rows or with smaller veggies 30cm between each two rows. Anything compostable can be used but remember compost does not like too much lemon skin. Dig a trench 30cm deep between rows, chop your compostable stuff fairly small. Fill your trench with a layer of veggies etc. then a layer of the soil you dug out. Continue to the level surface. This will break down really quickly and feed your garden at the same time. The extra benefit of course, no more mouse or rat problems
Contributed by Jen Nelson
Contributed by Jen Nelson
Super Soil Food x 4
1. Burying a few raw chicken/meat scraps at the bottom of the vegetable bed a few weeks before planting seedlings has the same effect as applying blood and bone but is less expensive (just put a weight on it and bury it a good foot).
2. If you live by the coast, fresh seaweed is an excellent mulching material that also is a great soil booster; as good as applying Seasol, but free.
3. Pesky weeds i.e. nut grass, steal valuable nutrients from my soil but are no good in the compost. To harness the nutrients I stuff them in my old milk bottles, fill with water and leave them in the sun for a week or longer until the weeds have broken down. I then pour this in the garden as fertiliser when it's required.
4. Everyone knows how good banana skins are. During summer I dehydrate some banana skins and then use them to make banana skin tea all year round. 1-2 skins per 3 litres of water and they sit in the sun till they have broken down. I apply this to my fruiting plants.
Contributed by Di W
2. If you live by the coast, fresh seaweed is an excellent mulching material that also is a great soil booster; as good as applying Seasol, but free.
3. Pesky weeds i.e. nut grass, steal valuable nutrients from my soil but are no good in the compost. To harness the nutrients I stuff them in my old milk bottles, fill with water and leave them in the sun for a week or longer until the weeds have broken down. I then pour this in the garden as fertiliser when it's required.
4. Everyone knows how good banana skins are. During summer I dehydrate some banana skins and then use them to make banana skin tea all year round. 1-2 skins per 3 litres of water and they sit in the sun till they have broken down. I apply this to my fruiting plants.
Contributed by Di W
Break It Up with Coffee Grounds
Ask your local café for their coffee grounds, pick them up regularly and sprinkle through your compost to help break it up.
Contributed by Meryll Williams
Contributed by Meryll Williams
TEA COMPOST
Hubby doesn't like strong tea and I do so we share a tea bag. I save the used tea bags in an empty yoghurt container which sits near the kettle; the tea bags go in there, lid goes on and when it is full I dig them into the garden.
Contributed by Irene Wilkinson
Contributed by Irene Wilkinson
Stay Safe and Watch what You Put into the Compost
You definitely cannot put kitty litter in the compost. Cat waste can contain bacteria like toxoplasmosis and parasites that cannot be broken down by backyard composting systems. You can make your family very ill if you were to try doing that. You also cannot compost dog waste.
You can compost chicken manure if you have backyard chickens.
You can compost household vegetable scraps, cold fire ashes, coffee grounds, tea leaves, shredded white or newspaper, and leafy garden waste. Try to keep a balance of dry material (browns) and wet material (greens). Don’t add woody garden waste like rose prunings as they take a very long time to break down- put them in your green bin. If you are adding ash from your fire, make sure it is cold to prevent a fire, and only add a handful. Too much can unbalance the Ph of your compost.
Contributed by Amanda Tulloch, 3rd August 2018
You can compost chicken manure if you have backyard chickens.
You can compost household vegetable scraps, cold fire ashes, coffee grounds, tea leaves, shredded white or newspaper, and leafy garden waste. Try to keep a balance of dry material (browns) and wet material (greens). Don’t add woody garden waste like rose prunings as they take a very long time to break down- put them in your green bin. If you are adding ash from your fire, make sure it is cold to prevent a fire, and only add a handful. Too much can unbalance the Ph of your compost.
Contributed by Amanda Tulloch, 3rd August 2018
Composting Tips We Learned
We started composting last Summer after we went to a free council seminar to learn what to do.
We were recommended that the best compost comes from 50% "green" waste and 50% "brown" waste:
- Green waste is comprised of fruit and veg, grass clippings, tea bags and coffee grounds.
- Brown waste is comprised of dry leaves, torn paper and cardboard, paper towels, egg cartons, egg shells, untreated sawdust etc.
You should not put any animal products other than eggshells into the compost - no hair or faeces, no meat, no dairy.
Clay and stone aren't in the list above, so I would avoid. It should take 8-12 weeks to break down.
Advice:
- You will need to put the compost bin somewhere it gets a lot of sun/heat and has good drainage.
- Keep it moist. Water it as needed until the compost is moist but not wet.
- Aerate with a garden fork at least weekly. You can aerate easily using a compost tool that looks like a large corkscrew (you can buy these at hardware stores).
- Don't ever put too much of any one thing or you will distort the composition.
- The smaller you cut things up, the faster they will break down.
- If it starts to smell, aerate. It is either too wet or doesn't have enough air.
- Don't put anything that is not "of the earth" into your compost.
Good luck and happy composting!
Contributed by Jess Vozzo, 2nd August 2018
We were recommended that the best compost comes from 50% "green" waste and 50% "brown" waste:
- Green waste is comprised of fruit and veg, grass clippings, tea bags and coffee grounds.
- Brown waste is comprised of dry leaves, torn paper and cardboard, paper towels, egg cartons, egg shells, untreated sawdust etc.
You should not put any animal products other than eggshells into the compost - no hair or faeces, no meat, no dairy.
Clay and stone aren't in the list above, so I would avoid. It should take 8-12 weeks to break down.
Advice:
- You will need to put the compost bin somewhere it gets a lot of sun/heat and has good drainage.
- Keep it moist. Water it as needed until the compost is moist but not wet.
- Aerate with a garden fork at least weekly. You can aerate easily using a compost tool that looks like a large corkscrew (you can buy these at hardware stores).
- Don't ever put too much of any one thing or you will distort the composition.
- The smaller you cut things up, the faster they will break down.
- If it starts to smell, aerate. It is either too wet or doesn't have enough air.
- Don't put anything that is not "of the earth" into your compost.
Good luck and happy composting!
Contributed by Jess Vozzo, 2nd August 2018
Just about Everything can be Composted
I don't know about the kitty litter (can't have a cat where I am), but I put just about everything in my compost: kitchen scraps, dust, dropped hair, even small pieces of paper such as tin labels. Pretty much if it came from plants or animals, it goes in the compost.
I know some people say not to put in onion skins, citrus peels, or paper with ink, but that's for worm farms. I recommend building a compost heap on a plot of dirt and walling it with wood or anything convenient (we used to use corrugated plastic) held up with star-posts - they're easy to use and you can make it whatever size according to the walls you have. If you don't have anything to make walls, you can just make a pile. Either way, be sure to seal it with a layer of dirt every so often.
I move my in-progress compost heap every few months, and when I do, anything that hasn't composted just goes onto the next heap, so you could experiment with the kitty litter for a while and see if it composts.
Contributed by Estel Talroval, 2nd August 2018
I know some people say not to put in onion skins, citrus peels, or paper with ink, but that's for worm farms. I recommend building a compost heap on a plot of dirt and walling it with wood or anything convenient (we used to use corrugated plastic) held up with star-posts - they're easy to use and you can make it whatever size according to the walls you have. If you don't have anything to make walls, you can just make a pile. Either way, be sure to seal it with a layer of dirt every so often.
I move my in-progress compost heap every few months, and when I do, anything that hasn't composted just goes onto the next heap, so you could experiment with the kitty litter for a while and see if it composts.
Contributed by Estel Talroval, 2nd August 2018
Shredded Waste Paper v Sugar Cane Mulch
Approximate $ Savings: $0 v $9-15 a bag
Having a reduction in working hours I had to look to saving costs in my veggie and flower gardens in general. Every TV program, gardening magazine and web sites recommend using sugar cane mulch, which does cost. I started thinking what else can I use to do the same thing. Then it hit me, I always have heaps of shredding to do in my office, so I tried it. I dug it straight into my garden beds and you know what? It works, so long as you also compost or make use of your worm farm juice and castings. Contributed by Lynette Christopher, 20th February 2014
Having a reduction in working hours I had to look to saving costs in my veggie and flower gardens in general. Every TV program, gardening magazine and web sites recommend using sugar cane mulch, which does cost. I started thinking what else can I use to do the same thing. Then it hit me, I always have heaps of shredding to do in my office, so I tried it. I dug it straight into my garden beds and you know what? It works, so long as you also compost or make use of your worm farm juice and castings. Contributed by Lynette Christopher, 20th February 2014
Garbage Compost Bin
A cheap alternative to a tumbler compost bin is a round black plastic garbage bin with a lid. I used this method for composting when I was renting. They cost about $10-15 from Bunning. You put your scraps in and once a week tip it on it's side and roll it round the back yard to mix everything. Place it in a sunny area so it heats up.
Contributed by Erin Smith
Contributed by Erin Smith
Free Compost Bin or Worm Farm
Approximate $$ saved: $40 - $70
My fiancé and I enjoyed a "compost and worm farm workshop" today for FREE. I found on the council website they run all sorts of workshops to better knowledge yourself around the garden. The trainer was quite humorous and full of so much knowledge there wasn't much he didn't know. My fiancé and I have been using a worm farm for a few months and had no idea, today cleared up all queries and gave us so much more confidence in making our own fertilizers and compost. Each household has a choice of a worm farm (the rectangle one) or compost bin (220 litre). They don't supply worms, but suggested a few places where it is much cheaper than Bunnings. Can't wait to start our compost and help our poor worms.
Contributed by Renae Hutchison, 8th June 2013
My fiancé and I enjoyed a "compost and worm farm workshop" today for FREE. I found on the council website they run all sorts of workshops to better knowledge yourself around the garden. The trainer was quite humorous and full of so much knowledge there wasn't much he didn't know. My fiancé and I have been using a worm farm for a few months and had no idea, today cleared up all queries and gave us so much more confidence in making our own fertilizers and compost. Each household has a choice of a worm farm (the rectangle one) or compost bin (220 litre). They don't supply worms, but suggested a few places where it is much cheaper than Bunnings. Can't wait to start our compost and help our poor worms.
Contributed by Renae Hutchison, 8th June 2013
Free Garden Mulch
Approximate $ Savings: $79 per cubic metre
I needed some mulch for our garden beds and jumped on the local landscape suppliers website and found that the mulch would cost me $79 a cubic metre. That was beyond my budget but I found an alternative where you can get mulch for free from mulchnet.com. The mulch comes from tree loppers who have an excess that they need to dispose of. You register and then wait for the mulch to show up when there is some available in your area. It can take a while to get it but if you aren't in a hurry to get the mulch this is a great option. I'm on the waiting list now and looking forward to getting my free mulch. -
Contributed by Sandra Beach, 9th March 2012
Website: www.mulchnet.com
I needed some mulch for our garden beds and jumped on the local landscape suppliers website and found that the mulch would cost me $79 a cubic metre. That was beyond my budget but I found an alternative where you can get mulch for free from mulchnet.com. The mulch comes from tree loppers who have an excess that they need to dispose of. You register and then wait for the mulch to show up when there is some available in your area. It can take a while to get it but if you aren't in a hurry to get the mulch this is a great option. I'm on the waiting list now and looking forward to getting my free mulch. -
Contributed by Sandra Beach, 9th March 2012
Website: www.mulchnet.com
Cleaning the Compost Pail
Before putting compost scraps in your pail (before you toss them into the big compost bin), put some shredded newspaper at the bottom. It stops compost from sticking, absorbs some of the juices and smells and helps to balance out the composition of your compost.
Contributed by Cynthia Tay
Contributed by Cynthia Tay
Compost Soup!
Approximate $ Savings: $5 - $15 per week
If you are anything like me, you get to the end of the week and you have some veggies that you haven't used in your meals and they look a little worse for wear, but you don't think you can use them as plate vegetables? Instead of putting them in the compost bin make some Compost Soup! Throw all the veggies in with some water and stock (if you like)boil them, blend them and you will make a very yummy soup that will not only save you wasting money on the veg you would have throw out but also make you a meal for your family which you can eat or save in the freezer for another day! Because you are using up whatever is left over it will taste different every time! Enjoy :-)
Contributed by Amy Cumming, 26th March 2011
If you are anything like me, you get to the end of the week and you have some veggies that you haven't used in your meals and they look a little worse for wear, but you don't think you can use them as plate vegetables? Instead of putting them in the compost bin make some Compost Soup! Throw all the veggies in with some water and stock (if you like)boil them, blend them and you will make a very yummy soup that will not only save you wasting money on the veg you would have throw out but also make you a meal for your family which you can eat or save in the freezer for another day! Because you are using up whatever is left over it will taste different every time! Enjoy :-)
Contributed by Amy Cumming, 26th March 2011
Composting for Beginners
To make a cheap but effective beginner's Compost heap, I used the old plastic garbage bin which we had before the Council brought in the huge green wheelie bins. I merely cut a large hole in the bottom, making sure not to cut it off entirely so it gave some stability, then dug this down into the garden earth about 15cm. I then placed layers of kitchen scraps, paper/cardboard shredded and torn, leaves and thin twigs all mixed up as I got them. Add a tiny smidge of water..not much though is needed and put the lid on. I even talked my rellies who had their bins lying around into 'donating' theirs to my venture. You can still buy these bins relatively cheaply. Don't put in too much of any one thing is the key...just as with our eating, 'everything in moderation' is the key to good composting health. As the compost breaks down, move the bin to a new location in the garden...great way to get the natural worms working all over the garden in the cool compost you have given their soil. Mine has lasted for years!
Contributed by Julie, Elizabeth Downs, 29th December 2008
Contributed by Julie, Elizabeth Downs, 29th December 2008
Set Up a Compost Heap Free
I set up a compost heap for nothing by finding an out of the way spot that was in a corner of the yard and fairly out of the way and I put some branches pruned from trees on the ground to allow air to circulate under the heap -- this helps prevent odours and also helps speed up the decomposition -- and I just started tossing all our fruit and veggie scraps, some grass clippings, shredded newspaper, leaves that were raked up and other organic matter. don't throw meat, milk or cheese on the heap as these attract flies and rats, and turn the heap at least every couple of months and before you know it you'll have lovely compost for your garden. Have a lovely Christmas, and many thanks for all your hard work,
Contributed by Vicki Judd, 24th December 2008
Contributed by Vicki Judd, 24th December 2008
Start a Compost Pile with Pallets
We started a compost heap by using wooden pallets. We went to our local hardware and they gave us four pallets. We used three of them for the walls and the fourth one for the front door. We used star pickets to keep them upright and we put them through the pallets at the end and then hammered the star pickets into the ground. The pallet we used for the door, only had one star picket in it, so that we could swing it open to turn the compost over or empty the contents. By using pallets it helps circulate air through the compost. If you don't have star pickets you could use garden stakes or anything else that can go through the pallets and can be hammered into the ground.
Contributed by Vicki, Yarra Junction, 30th December 2008
Contributed by Vicki, Yarra Junction, 30th December 2008
Composting into New Garden Beds
Compost heaps work best if they have contact with the ground, so all the microbes and eventually worms can migrate into it. Chose a place in the garden where you would like to have a new bed and clear it of weeds and grass. Every time you put your kitchen scraps down, cover them with hay, straw, or shredded newspaper. Occasionally turn the contents of the pile over to aerate. After a few weeks, start a heap in a new place and leave that one to finish composting. Keep it moist and covered in the summer months as the process will stop if it becomes dry. Eventually you can use it on your garden beds or simply plant into it where it is.
Contributed by Heather, Bathurst, 28th December 2008
Contributed by Heather, Bathurst, 28th December 2008
Quick Start Compost Heap
Here are a couple of quick start ways to setting up a compost heap. Dig a hole, put food scraps in add a layer of soil and cover with black plastic (doubles as a heat trap and lid), remove plastic when topping up and build up from there using either food scraps, shredded newspaper, leaves etc. Replace plastic after topping up. Another is to upturn a plastic garbage bin, cut off base, place on soil , throw in your food scraps or any organic matter, use lid as the cover.
Contributed by Naomi, Jeeralang, 28th December 2008
Contributed by Naomi, Jeeralang, 28th December 2008
Compost through Chooks
Chooks!!! The easiest way to compost is through a chook. All food scraps go in one end and the best manure for the garden comes out the other end! I have been keeping chickens for the last 15 years and I love them. They eat everything, I even give mine citrus (they just kick it around) and onion (I have seen them fight over onion), the only thing I don't give them is chicken to eat. My bin does not smell and we get enough eggs for us ( 3 chooks = 2 adults and 2 kids)to eat 2-3 meals a week. Building a traditional compost heap can be tricky. Too dry and it will not break down and too wet and it turns in to a stinking mess. But if you are keen this is the recipe I use: 2 wheel barrow loads of shredded tree, 1 wheel barrow load of fresh lawn clippings, 1 bale of straw/lucerne hay, 40-50L sheep manure, Blood & Bone, Lime. Lay a 5cm layer of shredded tree, 3cm layer of grass clippings, 3cm layer of straw, a few handfuls of sheep manure, a sprinkle of blood and bone and lime. Wet through with the hose. Repeat until all used. The heap will get very hot, so make sure you don't have your pile next to wooden fences etc!! After 2 weeks you will need to turn the pile over, and again in another 2 weeks. 2 weeks after the second turn, your compost will be ready:) There are lots of books out there about making compost, but I still prefer the chickens.... have fun!
Contributed by Marion, Huntingdale, 27th December 2008
Contributed by Marion, Huntingdale, 27th December 2008
Easy to Make Compost Heaps
Compost heaps are very easy to make and can be made with a lot of things that you may have lying around. Netting can be formed into a circle with some posts around it to attach it to and keep it upright. You could use bales of straw put down into a square and keep going up with these as you fill it up, then you could use the rotting straw later on to mulch your veggie garden. You should start the first layer of your compost heap with heavier cuttings to aerate it a little and then add layers of whatever you have i.e. thin layers of grass clippings then food scraps, straw, pruning, weeds etc (excluding meat and bones as you don't want rats or mice in this heap). A sprinkling of blood and bone, manure etc can be put in the layers too. If you are really lazy and cannot be bothered shovelling this mixture onto your garden when it has composted, just plant your plants straight into this. Ideally you should fill one heap then start another. You can cover a filled heap with black plastic to aid in the breaking down of the heap. You need to water the heap so that it is just moist but not soaked. I do not make a compost heap anymore (my husband has one) as I have a dodgy back and hips so I make the whole veggie garden a compost heap by putting all the weeds I pull out and straw straight onto my garden around my vegies and let it break down as it pleases! Much less work and good for people with bad backs etc. Happy gardening. Merrilyn Craig
Contributed by Merrilyn, Dubbon, 27th December 2008
Contributed by Merrilyn, Dubbon, 27th December 2008
DIY Worm Farm
I decided a worm farm would be great for all the veggie/fruit scraps, but when I asked the stores, found they started at about $75. That set me thinking how I could get one - for nothing! I searched around for two black plant pots - large one and a one slightly smaller, and an old bucket. I put the larger pot inside the other one - it was too large to sink into the smaller one, then put them on top of the bucket (to catch the lovely liquid from the castings) so they became a conical shape. I added an old large pan lid, and bingo ! my worm farm was complete. The hardest thing was searching the garden for some worms to get it started - or you could go to the expense of buying the proper ones from the hardware store for around $25. Now I have a working worm farm for absolutely nothing. Contributed by Ann, West Pennant Hills, 28th August 2009
Check Local Council for Free Garden Mulch
We recently decided to update the mulch in our garden but money was tight, so I rang the council in my area (Melton) and they had free mulch. You could take as much as you needed for NOTHING!!!! Garden looks great for free.
Contributed by Maureen, Caroline Spring, 27th April 2010
Contributed by Maureen, Caroline Spring, 27th April 2010
Not Just for News
Newspapers are incredibly versatile in the garden. For example use them to keep the wet season weeds down around your fruit trees or as a mulch layer in flower beds. Just lay wet papers down, fairly thickly (a layer of about 10 pages works well), straight on top of the weeds.
Tip of the Day, 16th April 2010
Tip of the Day, 16th April 2010
Mulch, mulch, mulch
Summer is over but it's time to mulch the garden again, in preparation for winter, especially in frost zones. Mulch not only helps with water evaporation, but it can offer protection from wind and frost too. Adding a thick layer around your winter veggies (leave a small area clear around each plant) will also help to insulate the soil, keeping it warm for good growing. You can use bark, straw, mulched autumn leaves (and there are plenty of those around), even stones as mulch, you don't have to rush out and buy it.
Tip of the Day, 25th April 2010
Tip of the Day, 25th April 2010
Constant Compost
An easy way to ensure a never ending supply of lovely compost for your garden is to have two compost bins on the go. The first one will be the one you are using, it is already full of delicious compost. When you start to use it, begin to fill the second compost bin. As you add more garden clippings, leaves, peelings, shredded paper etc give each layer a light dusting of blood and bone. Your compost will be rich and chock full of good things for the soil (and your precious plants).
Tip of the Day, 24th April 2010
Tip of the Day, 24th April 2010
In Lieu of a Shredder
Approximate $ Savings: $100 Deposing of identifiable documents is now critical as identity fraud becomes more widespread. Avoid the cost of a shredder, energy and the frustration of the inevitable jams by placing all documents for disposal in a bucket (tear larger items in quarters) and pouring just enough water over the paper to ensure a good soaking (leftover washing, bath or sink water is great). Give it the odd stir and it will mulch down. You can then pop it in the compost or make papier-mâché balls and dry them in the sun and put them in the recycle bin. Save money, energy and your identity. Contributed by Helen, Hammondville, 18th April 2010
Security and Gardening
Don't worry about your security being violated by having to put old household accounts in the rubbish. You don't even have to shred them. Tear all paper accounts into strips and add them to your compost bin. Hides your identity and enriches the garden with free compost.
Contributed by Norma, North Coburg, 15th April 2010
Contributed by Norma, North Coburg, 15th April 2010
Great Soil Means Great Gardens
Approximate $ Savings: $100
With gardening it is important to have great soil for your plants to get the nutrients they need. I make my own mulch by re-using ALL of our paper and cardboard and laying this around our plants, I then top this with bark that I collect from trees and leaves on our property (or neighbours), and also grass clippings. This makes a great mulch which when broken down keeps my soil looking and working great. (Approx savings $50+) I also make my own compost which adds to the garden nutrient level with all of my food scraps, except meat products because they attract unwanted pests. You can also add grass clippings, leaves and plant matter (the smaller the better). I use a plastic bin which you can purchase from Bunnings, but you can also use a black plastic bag placed in the sun - this will kill weed seeds so you can place weeds in it! This saves money on fertilisers and adds organic matter into the soil so saves approximately $50 per year.
Contributed by Kelly, Briagolong, 3rd April 2010
With gardening it is important to have great soil for your plants to get the nutrients they need. I make my own mulch by re-using ALL of our paper and cardboard and laying this around our plants, I then top this with bark that I collect from trees and leaves on our property (or neighbours), and also grass clippings. This makes a great mulch which when broken down keeps my soil looking and working great. (Approx savings $50+) I also make my own compost which adds to the garden nutrient level with all of my food scraps, except meat products because they attract unwanted pests. You can also add grass clippings, leaves and plant matter (the smaller the better). I use a plastic bin which you can purchase from Bunnings, but you can also use a black plastic bag placed in the sun - this will kill weed seeds so you can place weeds in it! This saves money on fertilisers and adds organic matter into the soil so saves approximately $50 per year.
Contributed by Kelly, Briagolong, 3rd April 2010
Give the Garden a Carpet Layer
When mulching a garden can I recommend instead of using newspaper on garden use old carpet which I am sure you would be able to pick up from a carpet place. What do the shops do with the old carpet they pick up from houses when they are replaced? I am sure they would be happy to give people the carpet so they don't have to worry about taking it to the tip. The weeds wouldn't be able to grow and it would take a long time for the carpet to disintegrate.
Contributed by Gail, Lake Cathie, 11th March 2010
Contributed by Gail, Lake Cathie, 11th March 2010
Creative Mulching
Approximate $ Savings: $2500
We live on a 5 acre part-bush, part-garden block and were looking into buying pine bark and weed mat to mulch our garden and keep the weeds down. However given the size of our garden, we would need at least 60 cubic metres of bark to cover the garden and at $42 per metre, there is no way this one income family could afford to spend over $2500 on the garden (not to mention how much the weed mat would cost)! So we decided to rake up all of the fallen eucalyptus & other leaves from the bush part of our block, load it on to the trailer and spread a thick layer of this bush mulch over newspaper all over our garden instead. The result (although we are only half way through) is no weeds, a much tidier yard and bush area, a long lasting mulch (parts of it have been down for over a year with no weeds) and some extra exercise for us! Plus we have a use for all of the old newspapers that were destined for recycling or rubbish!
Contributed by Kellie, Wynyard, 1st March 2010
We live on a 5 acre part-bush, part-garden block and were looking into buying pine bark and weed mat to mulch our garden and keep the weeds down. However given the size of our garden, we would need at least 60 cubic metres of bark to cover the garden and at $42 per metre, there is no way this one income family could afford to spend over $2500 on the garden (not to mention how much the weed mat would cost)! So we decided to rake up all of the fallen eucalyptus & other leaves from the bush part of our block, load it on to the trailer and spread a thick layer of this bush mulch over newspaper all over our garden instead. The result (although we are only half way through) is no weeds, a much tidier yard and bush area, a long lasting mulch (parts of it have been down for over a year with no weeds) and some extra exercise for us! Plus we have a use for all of the old newspapers that were destined for recycling or rubbish!
Contributed by Kellie, Wynyard, 1st March 2010
Help Break Down Compost
To break down the materials in my compost I use LIME powder, which can be purchased from hardware stores and some supermarkets very cheaply. I throw in one good handful and mix around well. I do this about twice a week. I have nice rich compost all the time.
Contributed by Karen, Labrador, 10th March 2009
Contributed by Karen, Labrador, 10th March 2009
Make Your Own Bokashi Powder
The Bokashi inoculant is a mixture of three components: Effective Microorganisms (EM) or lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum; L. casei; Streptococcus Lactis), purple bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris; Rhodobacter sphaeroides) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Molasses to feed the microorganisms while they are inoculating the compost, and wheat germ, sawdust or bran as a carrier for the EM to attach to. You can, however, use pretty much any beneficial bacteria you like, the trick is knowing which are beneficial and which aren't. Healthy soil or worm castings might be a good place to start. You need to put a fibrous carbohydrate (bran, wheat germ etc) next to the microorganisms you want capture, then feed it (molasses) while it grows, then add it to your food scraps, excluding air. The most important bacteria is the lactobacillus which can be obtained from raw whey or milk. Obviously the pasteurised kinds are not suitable as pasteurisation kills these bacteria. If you want detailed instructions on how to make your own inoculant, this website is great: http://bokashicomposting.com/
Contributed by Anne, Belrose, 10th March 2009
Website: http://bokashicomposting.com/
Contributed by Anne, Belrose, 10th March 2009
Website: http://bokashicomposting.com/
Fermented Food Scraps as Bokashi Starter
I have heard that you can put food scraps in a bucket with some water and baker's yeast to get the same results. Just use some of the contents of the previous bucket for a starter for subsequent buckets, then you don't have to keep buying yeast. Here is some information on the micro-organisms (EM Effective Micro-organisms)themselves: http://www.emrojapan.com/microorganisms.php Contributed by Allison, Marangaroo, 10th March 2009
Website: http://www.emrojapan.com/microorganisms.php
Website: http://www.emrojapan.com/microorganisms.php
EM (Effective Micro-organisms) Online
To make your own EM Bokashi is a bit of work but it can be done. You need 15 litres sawdust, 10 litres bran, 200 ml EM (Effective Micro-organisms)EM1 from www.emshop.com.au, 200 ml molasses, 4 litres water . Mix all ingredients together, ferment in airtight barrels for 2 weeks minimum. It should smell fermented when you lift the lid. Dry quickly on tables or tarps (fully dry). Keep dried material in airtight containers.
Contributed by Deb, Lanena, 10th March 2009
Website: www.emshop.com.au
Contributed by Deb, Lanena, 10th March 2009
Website: www.emshop.com.au
Watch the Video Clip to Pick Up Tips
There is a video on Youtube which describes how to make Bokashi starter which appears to be essentially fermented wheat bran. Just type Bokashi into the search engine on Youtube. On a related question, does anyone know if solid wastes from a Bokashi bucket can go into a worm farm, or is it better buried or placed in a conventional compost bin/bay? I have looked at Bokashi buckets once or twice but am not convinced that they would be a useful addition to my present system which includes chickens worms and a compost bin.
Contributed by Bernie, Doonside, 10th March 2009
Contributed by Bernie, Doonside, 10th March 2009
DIY Bokashi Powder
I did some searching and it looks like Bokashi powder is made up of the following ingredients: water, wheat bran, rice bran, molasses, EM-X ceramic powder and efficient microbes (EM). As to the amount of each - some trial and error may have to come into play. It all seems do-able. Do you have a friend that you could share the initial start-up costs of buying the ingredients? That could definitely make it easier. What are Efficient Microbes or EM? EM is a natural, probiotic technology developed for over 25 years around the world. It is based on beneficial and effective micro organisms ("EM"). The microbes in EM are non-harmful, non-pathogenic, not-genetically-engineered or modified (non-GMO), and not-chemically-synthesized. Based on research and development activities in many countries, EM is increasingly viewed as a means of providing solutions to many problems of food production, depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution, food safety and nutrition, and human and animal health.
Contributed by Kate, Stratford, 11th March 2009
Contributed by Kate, Stratford, 11th March 2009
Go Organic for Compost Booster
No need to buy expensive commercial compost activators. Organic sheep, cow, poultry or horse manure will break down kitchen scraps very quickly. You only need a handful to cover the compost each time. You could also use comfrey leaves which are a powerful compost activator, either used whole or torn into shreds. Comfrey is a cheap planet to buy, and easy to grow anywhere in the garden or in a large pot. It needs little attention, and is a perennial. You just cut off a few leaves each time, and it re-grows like magic!
Contributed by Elizabeth, Faulconbridge, 11th March 2009
Contributed by Elizabeth, Faulconbridge, 11th March 2009
Bokashi Composting
You can make your own Bokashi culture, but it's not exactly quick and easy. Step by step instructions are at: http://bokashicomposting.com/ Remember to read the comments as well as the blogs - some of them give great ideas.
contributed by Kathy, Thornbury, 13th March 2009
Website: http://bokashicomposting.com/
contributed by Kathy, Thornbury, 13th March 2009
Website: http://bokashicomposting.com/
DIY EM Bokashi
To make your own EM Bokashi is a bit of work. 15 litres sawdust 10 litres bran 200 ml EM 200 ml molasses 4 litres water mix all ingredients together, ferment in airtight barrels for 2 weeks (minimum) should smell fermented when you lift the lid. Dry quickly on tables or tarps (it must be fully dry). Keep dried material in airtight containers.
Contributed by Em, Victoria Park, 15th March 2009
Contributed by Em, Victoria Park, 15th March 2009
Make Compost Tea
When you are weeding, fill a bucket about half full of weeds and add water until the weeds are covered. Put a lid on the bucket (to stop mozzies) and leave for 3 weeks. You will have a foul smelling but fantastic fertiliser (for free!) for your plants. Use it diluted in a ratio of about 1 part fertiliser to 4 parts water and water your plants on a weekly basis. It gives back nutrients without any chemical additives and you can make as much as you want.
Contributed by Rhonda, Erindale South, 5th January 2009
Contributed by Rhonda, Erindale South, 5th January 2009
Mulch the Garden, Protect Your Privacy
Approximate $ Savings: between $100 and $400
With recent concerns around personal privacy, stolen identities etc I have become a bit proactive, anything that comes into our household with personal details, account numbers etc etc, and these documents then ended up, in the bin, I have been collecting them each week in a bag, taking them to work and spending 10mins either before or after work shredding them. I then bring them back home and deposit the shredded documents onto the bigger gardens in our yard. I keep some normal 'Mulch' on hand to cover the paper, but doing this, this way, I only have to mulch my gardens 1 per year, I use about 50% less mulch than I was previously and the paper works well enough not to hinder the plants growth. We have a lot of drought tolerant plants though. We also are doing a small service to ourselves by not throwing sensitive personal information away for anyone to see, or worse still try and use without our knowledge. Hope it doesn't sound to paranoid.
Contributed by Brett, Bracken Ridge,13th August 2008
With recent concerns around personal privacy, stolen identities etc I have become a bit proactive, anything that comes into our household with personal details, account numbers etc etc, and these documents then ended up, in the bin, I have been collecting them each week in a bag, taking them to work and spending 10mins either before or after work shredding them. I then bring them back home and deposit the shredded documents onto the bigger gardens in our yard. I keep some normal 'Mulch' on hand to cover the paper, but doing this, this way, I only have to mulch my gardens 1 per year, I use about 50% less mulch than I was previously and the paper works well enough not to hinder the plants growth. We have a lot of drought tolerant plants though. We also are doing a small service to ourselves by not throwing sensitive personal information away for anyone to see, or worse still try and use without our knowledge. Hope it doesn't sound to paranoid.
Contributed by Brett, Bracken Ridge,13th August 2008
Free Mulch
To get free mulch for your garden, offer to clean up your neighbour's autumn leaves. Not only will your neighbour be pleased he has one less job to do but you will have free organic mulch for your garden. If your neighbour does not have trees then check with the local Council if they would mind if you collected leaves from the nature strips. Most would be happy for you to do so.
Contributed by Lynette, Adelaide, 1st June 2005
Contributed by Lynette, Adelaide, 1st June 2005
Use Shredded Newspaper as Mulch
To help the environment shred or cut all newspapers very fine, when you are planting new plants mix it in with the soil in the hole you are digging. This really helps to save water especially good if you have sandy soil. It helps retain the moisture, so you don't need to water as often
Contributed by Drina, Yerrinbool, December 16th 2006
Contributed by Drina, Yerrinbool, December 16th 2006
Shredding Mail for Mulch
With identity theft becoming a major concern to all I have invested in a cheap paper shredder. Not only has it given me peace of mind but as I place all of the end result under fresh mulch around the garden it saves me in the amount of mulch I need to buy and the amount of water I need to keep my garden alive.
Contributed by Ronda, Mornington, March 25th 2005
Contributed by Ronda, Mornington, March 25th 2005
Composting
Collect all the leaves from your garden and paths and add them to your compost bin. They will break down over winter, adding nutrients to your soil. Compost also helps sandy soils to retain moisture and helps clay type soils to take up water. You'll be improving your garden and saving water at the same time.
Compost
It's amazing how many kilos of compost a family can generate in a year. Your plants will love the nutrients you add to the soil. The compost also reduces the amount of water needed per plant. Start now by composting all your lawn clippings, vegetable peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds etc and watch your garden bloom.
A Pile of Compost
It's amazing how many kilos of compost a family can generate in a year. Your plants will love the nutrients you add to the soil. The compost also reduces the amount of water needed per plant.