It's all in the Compost.

As its winter here in NZ, it's the perfect time to give our gardens a boost, whether you have a veggie garden or decorative gardens they all need fed and looked after. I think the best way to do this is composting your own garden waste and household vegetable scraps to make a nutrient rich compost. The best thing of all it creates a full circle in your garden between produce and waste.

You can choose a compost heap of any size or you can buy bins with precut slots at the bottom for removing your compost. One of the easiest ways of a "do it yourself" composting system is to get a 20L - 40L bucket with a lid, pierce holes in the bottom and set upon bricks so liquid can drain from the bottom, then fill with household scraps and lawn and gardening clippings. Once a week simply tip on its side and roll to combine.

If choosing to do an open air heap, find a corner thats out of the way and it will be easier to contain if you have a frame for the back and sides, but thats not essential.

Always start your compost with a layer of coarser material at the bottom, like sticks or straw. Then you can start to build up your layers using a mixture of wet and dry waste. Dry waste being things like dried leaves and lawn clippings, shredded newspapers or straw. These are your high carbon ingredients. Your wet waste will be things like fresh lawn clippings and veggie scraps. As a rule, you add more dry then wet. Stay clear of putting meat products (including bones), pet manure, obnoxious weeds, bulbous weeds, or weeds with seed heads as these are not things you will want spread back onto your garden!

The key to a successful compost heap is to have the right balance of air, water and temperature to create the perfect climate for breaking down the organic matter. In winter, an old carpet or tarpaulin thrown over the top helps to keep the heat in. Every once in a while some blood and bone or some lime thrown on the heap will help with the breakdown process, and by giving it an occasional turn with a pitch fork you will keep it well aerated.

When your compost is fully cooked and ready to use, simply mix it into your soil or add it into your mulch and potting mixes. This is the most holistic way to deal with your garden as you are literally putting in what you're taking out. It is a natural safe way to get the nutrients into your soil to create better and healthier gardens.

Happy composting!