Time to spread your compost

8:34am Friday 7th March 2008

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KEITH and I spent a satisfying and constructive morning last weekend emptying out the compost bin, spreading well-rotted compost beneath raspberry canes and on beds and borders throughout the garden.

Readers who have been paying attention will know that the quality of our home-made compost has improved dramatically since we acquired a garden shredder; chopped and crushed stems, leaves and prunings rot down so much more rapidly and effectively than bigger pieces.

However, I still have to fork through the compost before I put it on the garden, to check for and remove the various bits of uncompostable rubbish that seem to magically accumulate within the rotting heap.

I can understand how it ends up containing those wretched little GB stickers (from fruit and vegetable peelings) and why I come across the odd plant label.

Jobs for the week...

Prune gooseberries and redcurrant bushes, if you have not already done so.

Re-pot greenhouse ferns and other foliage plants as they begin to come into growth.

Give fruit trees and bushes a top-dressing of well-rotted manure or garden compost to give them a good start to the growing season.

For furr article see this week's Westmorland Gazette.