Last week a few councils in the UK organized localized initiatives to encourage people to make their own compost. If you are concerned about protecting the environment then composting is one of the first steps towards recycling and making things better for the future at a local level.

Now I am not a specialist in making compost but my two compost bins are currently full to the brim with grass cuttings and the cardboard which I used to force my rhubarb, as well as the household vegetable waste which I collect every day. And I admit it: it feels good to be doing my bit at a personal level.

You can find specific instructions on how to make your own compost from many official websites. But I have found the Compost woman website to be an invaluable resource of information driven by personal experience and dedication. This blog does not only give you useful composting tips but also gives a good insight into what you can do as part of a more sustainable lifestyle.

And these days this encompasses growing your own vegetables, raising your own chickens (which I have would love to have time to do!!), getting involved with children and schools to raise awareness about protecting our environment to name just a few initiatives.

So last week I left my compost bin alone as I was busy pottering in my greenhouse. But I bought some organic peat free compost bags to fill the container in my greenhouse since I do not have any home made compost ready for use yet. The organic peat free compost was not that expensive (from New Horizon, the 3 bags of 50l cost me £12). The compost looked quite black and woodier than the usual general purpose compost with a slight smell of burnt wood (reminiscent of the free green waste compost available from the local council).

Hopefully this improved compost will show great results for growing most of my vegetables this year.