Getting outside and growing clean vegetable and plants is increasingly important as we care for our own health and vitality.

Compost increases the water holding capacity to the soil, adds nutrients and improves soil structure.

Home made Compost is a long-held tradition for many gardeners and is an essential component to the health of the soil we grow plants in.

Ingredients for making compost

Add one part of dry or brown ingredients to one part of fresh or green ingredients.                                                  

If  compost pile is smelly, use more dry or brown ingredients.  Keep moist, not water logged.

Fresh compost ingredients

Add fruit or vegetable peelings and small chopped plant clippings to the compost.

Fresh ingredients add nitrogen to the pile.

Smaller pieces are easier and faster to compost.

Dry compost ingredients

Dry or brown ingredients add carbon to the compost and help to aerate the pile.

Add dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard, straw and egg cartons.

Dry ingredients add carbon to the pile.

Use Equal parts dry ingredients to fresh ingredients.

Sprinkle with water to moisten the dry ingredients to speed up the composting process.

Add Manure compost

Blood & bone, aged chicken, sheep or cow manures are beneficial to the compost pile as they are rich in nitrogen.

Nitrogen is beneficial for the health of the compost and plant growth.

Manures help to heat up the pile, speeding up the composting process

Coffee

Coffee grounds added to your compost or soil makes a great slow release fertilizer.

Tea leaves can also be added.

Tips for making compost

It is best to have a couple of compost bins on the go.  One bin for filling while the other is full and composting.

Position the compost bins in a shady spot with direct contact with the soil.

Keep the compost moist but not water logged. If the pile is too wet, add more brown ingredients.

A commercial aerator will help to keep the ph. correct. A hand full of Lime once a month can be added.

The compost process takes around 8 – 10 weeks in warm weather

Making your own garden compost is a rewarding activity.

For those who do not want to wait, there are commercial composts on the market such as Mushroom compost, Diggers Compost, Revive or a blended soil with compost added.

Which ever way you go, enjoy seeing your soil and plant health improve throughout the growing season.

Effective and safe eco-friendly cleaning products are fast becoming mainstream as we move away from using too many toxic chemicals in our house and garden.

Looking out for the health of our pets, the environment and our family has fast become a priority for many of us.

Why use eco-friendly cleaning products?

Eco-friendly or green cleaning solutions can be as effective than more toxic products. Moving away from the many toxic products which is ultimately better for our health and the environment we live in.

What ingredients to use for eco-friendly outdoor cleaning?

A few ingredients for safe, green eco-friendly cleaning products are baking soda, vinegar and ammonia. These ingredients can be easily found in the home to make recipes for cleaning bird droppings, bricks, decking or outdoor furniture.  Some fast acting cleaning recipes are below.

1: Clean bird droppings

Bird droppings can be quickly removed by pouring full strength Apple Cider Vinegar onto a cloth before wiping clean.

2: Cleaning bricks

To remove calcium on brick or limestone, spray a blend of 1/2 white distilled vinegar and 1/2 water. Let the mixture set and do its work.

3: Clean decking

Remove mildew from outdoor decking by adding 1 cup of ammonia, 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda to 4 liters of water.  Scrub with a decking brush then rinse with water when clean.

4: Clean wooden garden furniture

Use the deck cleaning recipe with a soft sponge to apply mixture. Rinse the furniture with water when clean.

5: Plastic furniture

Remove dirt build up and mildew on plastic furniture by spraying full strength white vinegar and wipe down with a sponge.  The vinegar will also help to prevent mildew reappearing for a while.

These eco-friendly cleaning solutions are both effective and simple recipes to make.  If making up your own solutions are not your thing, there are now a good choice of quality commercial eco-friendly cleaning products readily found on the retail shelves.