Scotney Castle - Kent

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IMG_19111.jpg - Today was the day. Off to Scotney Castle at Lamberhurst in Kent, to view the rhododendrons and azaleas for which the gardens are justly famous and to find out how they manage their composting requirements.
Major problem, guys. The rhododendrons aren't out yet and there was not one person thereRead more...

Tools For Sale

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMG_0306.jpg - Yes, we have tools for sale at last.
CLICK THROUGH TO OUR NEW STORE HERE
I was a retailer for years, firstly as a small independent and, before my retirement, as Retail Manager for a very successful charity. When I left, there were 7 shops with a huge warehouse which also supported aRead more...

Worm Farming in Schools - Inspiring Students

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1-IMG_0810.jpg - Takapuna Beach
Today, we are welcoming a guest blogger, Lisa Stephenson from Auckland, New Zealand. Lisa is a teacher in an Intermediate School (11-13 years) in Takapuna, a community on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. It is a wonderful place to live, right on the seaRead more...

GARDENGEAR - Welcome to our store

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-IMG_6371-e1417216545200.jpg - Welcome to garden gear, our specialist store which we know will be of value to you. Here you can check out a selection of books, tools and accessories to make your composting adventure more successful, easier on your back and much more enjoyable.
To access garden gear, you can either:
clickRead more...

How to Breathe Life This Spring into your Tired Garden Soil. (Courtesy of Old World Garden Farms)

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/12-gardening-331986_1280.jpg - Making compost for improving the quality of garden soil is really what composters who garden are all about. If you do not garden, but are still a compost-person, likely you are motivated by wider thoughts of re-cycling, and composting efforts may be part of a broader spectrum of activity. InRead more...

Unsuitable Compost Ingredients

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/black-87832_1920.jpg - Learn which materials are unsuitable compost ingredients.
The following is a list of items that you should not use as composting ingredients. Some experts say you should not attempt to compost these materials in a domestic situation unless you are very experienced or are using a specialistRead more...

Catastrophic Compost Problems

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1-IMG_6712.jpg - Compost Problems - Tips for dealing with catastrophe in your compost.
Although a vast amount of scientific research has been and is being done in the fields of domestic and commercial composting, on a domestic level at least, I do think of it as an art. It's a bit like cooking really, atRead more...

Let These Kitchen Composting Tips Help You

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/4-IMG_6665.jpg - Particularly if you live where winter snow and ice prevail along with excessive wind and rain, or where it is 95^ in the shade in summer, with not a drop of water in sight, the appeal of not having to trail your kitchen waste to the other end of the garden must be strong. Let these kitchenRead more...

About Manure - Awesome Stuff

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/14-IMG_4625.jpg - "Manure, the dung and urine of animals, is the most important single ingredient in the compost heap. It is difficult, although not impossible, to make a good compost pile without it." The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener.
ALL ABOUT MANURE
The result of using compostedRead more...

Are They Using Compost at Hever Castle - Find Out Here.

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2-IMG_7901.jpg -  
Hever Castle, from the top of the Hill.
One of the great pleasures of living in England and particularly in Kent, is that one is always within a spit of any number of notable gardens open to the public. It is not a cheap hobby, visiting these wonderful places, but even a single visit canRead more...

Sheet a.k.a. Lasagna Composting

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_1909.jpg - Sheet composting is trouble-free and useful if you have plenty of space available.
Sheet Composting
Sheet composting is an alternative to building a pile, if you do not like the idea of having an untidy heap of decomposing material in your garden.  You carry out sheet composting (related toRead more...

They Say It's Summer!

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/3-IMG_7783.jpg - According to the calendar, we are now in the middle of summer. (We had the obligatory family discussion about the 21st June �" is it Midsummer or the first day of summer? I go for Midsummer every time.) That being the case, I have to say that summer, up until now, has been a washout on allRead more...

COMPOSTING

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/secateurs-498632_1920.jpeg - On this page
An explanation
The role of composting
Other benefits
How does it actually happen?
Essential elements
 
Waste for the Compost Bin
An Explanation
The breaking down, or rotting, of dead organic material occurs naturally, all the time and everywhere. It is vital to ourRead more...

It's Leaf Mould Season!

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/1-DSC05035.jpg - Fiery scarlet and orange berries are beginning to be visible through the leaves on the bushes lining the roads.  The leaves on the chestnut trees are beginning to turn brown and there is a distinct nip in the air in the evenings now.  It's almost Autumn, or Fall, or whatever you call it inRead more...

Good to Compost

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/green-waste-513609_1920.jpg - The table below lists good compost ingredients with information on each.
Check here to find out what compost ingredients you can  safely add to your pile or bin.
Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio - a brief explanation.
You are looking to add Carbon and Nitrogen to your compost in the ratio ofRead more...

COMPOST!

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/7-IMG_7483-200x200.jpg - All you need to know about compost.
Improve your soil and make your garden outstanding!
 
Compost Ingredients
Casual Compost
Covering with a moistened mat. (supplied with the bin)
 
Welcome To The World Of Waste And Worms
Compost questions answered! Here you can learnRead more...

To check out further details click here

Batch Composting

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-IMG_4609.jpg - Batch Composting
A brief overview.
Is the Continuous method of composting too slow for you?  If so, here's how to speed up your results.
If you are lucky enough to have access to a generous amount of waste material, and if you are well-organised and willing to expend the effort, you mayRead more...

Composting in a Holding-Unit

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1-IMG_6544.jpg -  
Often, the first time composter will choose to use a Holding-Unit as it is easy to make one using DIY skills if a budget is necessary.
A single bin, what ever its appearance, is  known as a Holding-Unit. This is because it just 'holds' the raw materials until decomposition is complete. ARead more...

Composting Tips - How To Set Up Your Composting Project for Success

http://clevercomposting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1-IMG_4603.jpg - There are lists of composting tips everywhere you look and here is no exception. This short list, however, may be the best of all, as  planning your project carefully should ensure that you are setting yourself up for success!
By: Barbara Moss
Composting is a great way to produce the baseRead more...