Compost solutions
Having access to an abundant amount of compost is essential part of having a successful kitchen garden. Without a deep level of rich topsoil, the only plants that will thrive, will be weeds. Knowing what and how to compost can be confusing and it is a huge subject with many nuances. Once you have the right practices and infrastructure in place, which we can provide you with, it can be a rewarding and enjoyable process to use composting as a Zero-Waste tool, to close the loop and continually give back to your kitchen garden.
NB - with every garden of any size that we create, we will advocate and, if you wish, install a multifaceted system that collaborates and creates correct ratio Compost from multi sources, Biochar, livestock manure and other Biological and Geological inputs. We have dedicated a whole page on Biochar as it's a massive subject that every day we are still learning about. When we leave your garden we want you to have the infrastructure and practices to sustainable create your own beautiful and diverse soil.
There are multiple solutions and systems we can establish in your garden to turn your garden and kitchen waste into fertile compost, these include but are not limited to the following:
Composting bays -
These are often best for the bulk of composting in most residential kitchen or market gardens, as they provide for systematic rotation and protection to the compost. Timber is usually the preferred material of choice. Ideally, the bays need some form of roof to keep off the worst of the rain, as too much water will have a detrimental effect on the compost. We are experienced in constructing this style of composting bays, but are happy to simply advise as you are limited only by your building materials available to you and your imagination. Either way, whether you want composting bays built for you, or some friendly advice, we are happy to help.
Windrow composting -
A scalable option, for larger gardens, farms and commercial composting sites. This is a system increasing in popularity, whereby you have a large continual heap of compost. It is still crucial to provide protection to the compost. This speeds up the biodegrading process, retains heat and prevents getting too wet and Anaerobic. Membrane covers made from natural fibres are available so that you don't have to use a plastic based tarpaulin. Still with this method, it is important to turn your compost and the method of doing this depends upon the scale of your site and the Windrows. Space permitting, you can of course have multiple windrows. Again, we would be delighted to help you establish these and integrate them within your Organic Kitchen garden or farm. Chickens also love to scratch allover windrows.
Hot Food Waste Composting -
An option for turning food waste safely and hygienically into usable compost. This is usually achieved mechanically in a Hot Food Waste Composter, such as the one pictured. These are an environmentally responsible solution for Restaurants and Hotels and will dramatically help you become Zero-Waste. Not only do these machines achieve high temperatures leading to quicker composting but also prevents rats and other pests, like foxes, from accessing the food waste. Knowing which machine to choose can be confusing and depend on multiple variables, plus they can be rather expensive investment, so it's important to make the right choice. Luckily, in the UK there are multiple companies manufacturing machines of varies sizes. When establishing your Organic Kitchen Garden, we will make sure to advise you on which machine would be best for your garden or business.
Worm composting - Vermicompost-
Worm casting compost is especially useful for propagation compost, inoculating Biochar and for turning some select types of your kitchen waste into highly beneficial compost. Wormeries do of course come with their complications, but once understood then this is another brilliant example of working with nature. We utilise the benefits of Terracotta and other natural materials to create an In-bed, fly proof and self-regulating Vermicomposter. You don't have to tap the smelly worm "tea". Worm composting is another important composting strategy that we will help you include within your garden's model, to make sure that your Organic Kitchen Garden has sufficient fertile compost to grow nutritious food.
