Comments on: Compost with a dash of herbs

By: Penny

Penny — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:21:59 +0000

Hi Adrian,
Your compost sounds amazing, a great combination. My compost has to be a bit different because it has to take everything generated by the garden that can’t be cut up to make firewood. Nothing from my garden ever leaves the property. It’s only a small garden, normal house block size, but is completely filled with plants. This year the growth has been almost unbelievable because of all the rain. So I’m not sure that I will have room for all the ‘green organics’ once I cut everything back. Somehow I’ll find a spot where I can let it turn into compost. I would love to hear if any of the herbs make a difference to your compost. — PW

By: Adrian

Adrian — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:47:17 +0000

Hello Penny, Green organics is a better term than green waste. It is a resource to be recycled in the garden.
I make my compost from leaves (deciduous and eucalypt, depending on the season), grass clippings (from the bowling club), coffee grounds in commercial quantities and a bit of mushroom compost to add heat. I make a batch in an open pen by mixing all ingredients and watering well. The mixing is important to aerate and bring all ingredients into contact with the grass where the heat is generated.
After 2 months it is transfered in to the enclosed type bin for the worms to work their magic in a dark environment. Beautiful compost/humus is the result.
I might try adding the herbs as you suggest.
PS I heard you talking on 3CR gardening show this morning, well done on the web site. I will be a regular visitor.
A

By: Penny

Penny — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 04:17:18 +0000

Hi Sue,
Well done on finally having compost that works! Comfrey is a great plant, especially because of it’s deep roots that bring nutrients up from deep in the soil. As well as adding them to the compost you can also just lie the leaves on the surface of the soil around a plant, mulch over the top, water well and wait for the leaves to break down, returning their nutrients to the soil. Some comfreys will self sow around the garden so keep an eye out for these interlopers as they can become problem weeds. You can stop this happening by planting a variety of Russian comfrey called ‘Bocking 14′ that doesn’t self sow, or you can constantly remove the flowering tops before they set seed. Also make sure you plant comfrey where you want it to stay, as it will re-shoot from any small piece of root and can be very difficult to eradicate.
Your compost may also have worked this year because of the extra rain. Compost heaps often get too dry which really slows down the composting process. — PW

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 03:03:32 +0000

I have been trying to make compost for years, usually ending up with something I think is supposed to be compost but takes forever. Until this year when I started adding comfrey to the mix (the plant popped up in my garden by itself!) After only a couple of months I have the most beautiful compost, full of worms and ready to go.