Page 23 - Fourways Gardens October 2020

Gardening

SOME DON’TS cardboard* can all be shredded with a combo is completed – the ingredients
To make sure your compost is appropriate shredder or a sturdy lawnmower that should be moist, but not soggy.
for use in your garden, these are some of has a grass box attached to it. If the 4. Mix with a large fork or spade.
the things you should avoid: shredded pieces are still too big after the 5. Repeat this process until the heap is

1. Don’t add your doggie’s poop or your rst attempt, repeat the exercise. *NB: about 1m² x 1m high.
kitty’s cat litter – or the faeces from Cardboard, newspaper and twigs should 6. Cover the heap with a suitable covering

any meat-eating animal. You can add be rst broken or torn into relatively small that surrounds the sides and the top of
manure from herbivorous animals if you pieces before shredding. Make sure that the heap.
have it available, but it’s not essential. any equipment that you choose to use
2. Don’t add whole eggs or any meat for shredding is up to the task. Do not The compost heap should start to heat up
products. attempt to ‘shred’ thick branches and of its own accord after a few days. This is
3. Don’t allow any sweet wrappers, plastic sticks or anything that may damage the a good time to check the progress and,
bags or any other plastic products, equipment. using a fork, dig the contents over so that
coated papers, greasy take-away 2. Do build your compost heap in layers, the parts on the outside of the heap are
containers, or treated woods near your starting with a layer of the shredded brought inwards and the inner parts are
compost heap. twigs, cardboard and leaves (the pulled outwards to the perimeter of the
4. It’s preferable to avoid adding weeds to browns) followed by a thinner layer of heap. Add more water if necessary. This is
the heap, especially if they have already the vegetable/fruit mix (the greens) an important step as the microorganisms
started producing seeds. from your kitchen (also shredded) and working their magic do need air in order
then a thin layer of co ee grounds and/ to survive. After about 30 days, you should

SOME DO’S or tea leaves without the tea bags, if you have a crumbly mixture that you can start
1. Do shred everything before adding it have saved them. adding to your garden beds, either as a
to the compost heap. Twigs, leaves, 3. Sprinkle with water after each layer mulch or mixed with the soil.

Fourways Gardens • 21 • October 2020