Shelley (plot 10) shared some great pics earlier, which I will post on the gallery pages. But one was her compost , and it got me thinking about how important it is to have a good compost method. Especially when you’re no dig like me. So I hope you find this read interesting.
Black Gold from the Allotment: Why Making Your Own Compost Matters
Looking at this compost heap, it’s easy to see one of the greatest assets on any plot. What might look like a pile of old stems, leaves and garden waste is actually future food for your crops.
Making your own compost is one of the best things an allotmenteer can do. It saves money, reduces waste, improves soil structure and helps retain moisture during dry spells. On a No Dig plot like mine , compost is the engine room that keeps everything growing.
Every carrot top, pea haulm, spent flower and autumn leaf is packed with nutrients. Rather than sending them to the tip, turn them into rich, crumbly compost that your plants will absolutely love.
A Few Top Tips
• Mix green materials (grass clippings, weeds, vegetable peelings) with brown materials (cardboard, straw, dry leaves, shredded paper).
• Chop larger stems into smaller pieces to speed up decomposition.
• Keep the heap damp like a wrung-out sponge, not soaking wet.
• Turn it every few weeks if you can. More air means faster compost.
• Build the heap in layers rather than adding huge amounts of one material at once.
The Do’s
✅ Add fruit and vegetable peelings.
✅ Add weeds before they set seed.
✅ Add cardboard and paper torn into small pieces.
✅ Add spent annual flowers and old plant material.
✅ Add a handful of soil occasionally to introduce beneficial microbes.
The Don’ts
❌ Don’t add diseased plants.
❌ Don’t add perennial weeds such as bindweed roots.
❌ Don’t add meat, fish or dairy products.
❌ Don’t add dog or cat waste.
❌ Don’t let the heap dry out completely.
Nature Does the Hard Work
The real magic of composting is that millions of worms, fungi and microorganisms do all the heavy lifting for free. Give them the right ingredients and they’ll transform yesterday’s rubbish into tomorrow’s harvest.
So next time you’re clearing a bed or pulling up spent crops, remember: don’t throw it away. Feed the compost heap and let nature create a fresh batch of black gold for your plot.
Happy composting, plotters! 🌱♻️🍂
Pretoria Road Allotment Pages 