The Compost Bin: compost comparison experiment

Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.

To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!

Showing posts with label compost comparison experiment. Show all posts

Friday, 13 June 2008

Random views of the garden

Well the compost versus bought potting compost competition seems to have a winner!

The tomatos planted in my home made compost are setting fruits well ahread of the commercial peat free compost planted plants...and they look sturdier and bigger also.

We could really do with some rain here...my beans are looking a bit sad...I think I need to water this patch and then mulch the ground with grass clippings to keep in the moisture.

Some Ox Eye daisies growing by the garage..we have millions of these and they are very beautiful.

Monday, 19 May 2008

Update on the growing tomato experiment

Remember, I am experimenting with growing mixes in the polytunnel? One half of this picture has plants grown in MY compost and the other half has plants grown in my usual potting compost.

18th May 2008

May 2 2008

April 25 2008

The plants are identical, from the same sowing and were selected to be as closely matched in health, size etc as possible.

I shall take regular photos and we shall see what happens!!

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

An experiment

I grow the indoor tomatos and peppers and Aubergines in large pots standing in trays inside the Polytunnel. The reason being that the polytunnel ( errected by the previous owners, not us!) was sited on a load of subsoil and rubble dug out from when the garage was built...so the ground is NOT suitable to grow directly into!!

So...I use builders buckets with holes drilled in the base as large pts and plant into them, it works very well, and then the compost goes on the veg garden at the end of the growing season.

I usually grow in bought in Organic peat free potting compost BUT last year I used some of my own compost and made it into a growing medium, which worked well.

So THIS year, I am experimenting. One half of this picture has plants grown in MY compost and the other half has plants grown in my usual potting compost.

April 25 2008

May 2 2008

The plants are identical, from the same sowing and were selected to be as closely matched in health, size etc as possible.

I shall take regular photos and we shall see what happens!!

The Compost Bin

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