Compost is a mixture of decaying organic matter such as leaves, manure and kitchen scraps which is used to improve the soil in the garden. Compost can be bought in bags or by the trailer load but it can also be made in the backyard at home for free.
To make compost at home, you will need a ‘compost bin’ which all the materials are piled into and left for a couple of months until they all start to rot and break down. Or, you can just build a ‘compost heap’ by simply piling all the materials up into a large pile which is at least one metre high. It needs to be this high so that the everything starts to warm up inside which causes the aerobic bacteria inside to become active and these break everything down so that it becomes compost.
Compost is rich in nutrients and when it is mixed through the garden bed it provides food for the plants, encourages worms into the garden and helps the soil hold water for the plants.
To find out how to make compost at home, visit our page ‘Making Compost‘.