Use Natural Fertilisers

Organic fertilisers include animal manure, liquid plant manure (made by decomposing the leaves of green plants such as comfrey in a bucket of water for several weeks), bonemeal (rich in phosphate), blood and bone (nitrogen) and wood ash an excellent source of potash.

Compost your kitchen and garden waste

Compost is the cheapest way to enrich your soil and reduce the amount of rubbish you discard each week. Up to 40 per cent of our weekly rubbish is fruit and vege peelings and food scraps that could be put to better use in the garden.

It is tidier to make your compost in a bin or container.

The bin should be sited in a sheltered level area of the garden that has good drainage and good access. For good composting remember this basic principle A.D.A.M.

Aliveness: in a single handful of compost there are more living organisms than there are human beings on the planet.

Diversity: the more the diverse the ingredientsthe better the end product.

Aeration: the key to no smells and no flies.

Moisture: successful compost needs moisture.