Lets talk compost

So I've been having a few seedlings off and running this year. I guess most of us are in the same boat. Now as far as I am concerned, the best way to start off seeds is in a pot of compost. Why compost as opposed to plain soil? Food for one thing. Water retention for a second.

Compost is comprised of dead organic matter. Soil, at least most soils, also contain a goodly amount of rock dust, clay particles, sand, grit etc. Whilst these help to act as a surface area for bacteria and other micro-organisms, they don't do much in the way of actually providing nutrients for growing plants. Nor do they retain much in the way of water as plant matter does. So hence the reason I prefer compost to start my seeds in a compost mix rather than sowing direct into the ground. Some seeds do not like their roots being disturbed (peas are a good example). So they do need to be sown in place, unless you have other tricks like toilet roll cores, newspaper pots or my personal favourite, cardboard coffee cup holders.

But compost doesn't normally arrive when you want it, unless you buy bags of it.

This photo was taken yesterday when I was potting up the petunais. Hence it looks a little damp, because it was raining. But you can see the compost that I used. But I also have my own compost bins. Or should I say tower.

But there is an art to making compost. And I haven't quite got it right. I have too much browns in my mix and not enough greens. So lets explain what I mean. Browns (or carbon) are things like wood stems, twigs, straw, and the like, where as greens (or nitrogen) are leaves, grasses etc. Both are needed to decent compost. But you have to get the mix right. Too much browns and you don't get a compost. The twigs stay there are take an age to break down. Too much greens and you end up with a slimy anaerobic mix which will stink up the place. The best mix, according to wiser sages, is about 10-1 to 30-1 of greens to brown matter. Unfortunately I don't have that much greens available.

The above tower has been around for a year, and although I do have some compost in there, it needs sieving out properly. The brown twigs, which seem to be bits from the grape vine from last years leaves, are still in stick form, so the sieve separates them out, and I simply pour them back in the top along with other large pieces to go through again. However the drive way into the site is lined with large amounts of stinging nettles and grasses which do need a good trim. So guess what tomorrows job is going to be. And I'll take those greens as payment for doing that, and it'll all go into the top of the tower.

Mean while the sieved compost is going in with my commercial compost as I still have a lot of seeds to do. Last years courgette seeds taken from "George" are still around. The way the last lot I planted up has shot up means that if I plant some now, they should be ready in time for the plant sale in May. Hopefully they will sell otherwise there are going to be a large number of courgettes around again.

(Courgette seeds planted and two hyacinths)

But it's getting rather crowded in the greenhouse now.

I really have to get those raised beds built soonest. I guess tomorrow it's time for a trip to B&Q for the wood. Oh, and also some meths, as I've run out and I can't have a cup of coffee without something to heat it.