When it comes to growing gardens and an abundance of fresh food there is no more powerful ingredient than compost.
Making your own compost is an ancient act of alchemy that empowers the gardener to work with and accelerate the natural cycles of growth and decay; syntropy and entropy.
All organic matter is continually being broken down and decomposed into smaller components by the elements, bacteria, fungi and animals, sometimes referred to as entropy.
On the flip side there is an underlying life force that brings all these components together to create complex life forms and ecosystems… sometimes referred to as syntropy.
These two forces work together in harmony and making compost is one way to connect with this energetic dance on an intimate level.
Composting, by definition, is managing decomposing organic material in a way that replicates and accelerates what happens in nature. The final product - a dark, fluffy, crumbly, moist humus - considered ‘black gold’ by gardeners - is used for improving soil quality (especially the structure and biology) to support the healthy growth of plants.
Making compost and adding it to the garden has the following benefits:
- It reduces waste to landfill; thereby helping to reduce methane and carbon emissions.
- It improves soil quality by recycling nutrients, increasing soil carbon and feeding the microorganisms that support healthy plant growth.
- It saves water. Healthy soil retains more water, so you need to water it less.
- It saves money. By not needing to buy compost or fertiliser for your garden or pot plants.
- It MAKES SENSE and FEELS GOOD! What more needs to be said?
Composting is like baking a cake. Once you understand the critical ratios and properties of the fundamental ingredients, you can then have fun for the rest of your life experimenting and making beautiful bundles of nutrient-dense goodness.
The style of compost you choose, the ingredients you use, how you build it, and how you care for it will all affect the final product. That’s why we’ve put together this easy to follow 5 step compost guide - to help get your compost cranking!
Once you get your compost cranking we would love to hear about your experience! We have a thriving online community (that meets in real life regularly!) and we would love to hear your story and offer feedback if you get stuck along the way.
Rupert F.