Compost essential for the home gardener

Reposted from the Australian Broadcasting Commission site - ABC Link

Most of my attempts to make compost have ended in tears and usually in the death of a few hundred worms too. So I have to confess, I need all the help I can get.

Barbara Parry of Peterbourgh knows all about compost. Barbara and Brian ran their organic garden as a veggie growing business for many years. They're now retired but that doesn't mean the end for their beautiful garden which they share with the local birds and reptiles.

Peterborough can be a difficult place to grow things, hot and dry and summer and frosty in winter with heavy soils. Despite these climatic challenges, Barb's garden blooms, and all thanks to the magic of good compost.

As well as a good gardener, Barbara is also a great photographer. She took the photos for her video over about three months, as they took one of their compost heaps from start to finish.

While Barb now makes tonnes of compost, she says that the principle is the same at any scale - just follow her instructions and reap the rewards.

In addition to having a beautiful organic veggie garden, Barb has also planted natives and takes great pleasure in watching the birds and reptiles that have returned to their land. They are particularly proud of that bearded dragons have made the garden their home. If you are in Peterborough, you can drop in - 'Dargon's Rest Habitat Garden' is open to the public when Barb and Brian are around.