Calling all keen composters!

This International Compost Awareness Week (1-7 ^th May) Garden Organic are planning to co-ordinate a series of short composting workshops around the country, and we need your help!

We’re looking for enthusiastic composters to lead a short workshop in their area. Leaders will be given full support, including

• An outline session plan for the workshop
• Downloadable resources to use during the session
• A pack of materials to help promote your workshop
• Hints and tips on running the workshop, including finding a venue and taking online bookings

We’ll be helping to raise awareness nationally through the press, and via our website, members’ magazine and emails.

If you think you might like to lead a workshop we’d love to hear from you. Just complete our short online form and we’ll be in touch with more details.

Online form [ http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/compost-workshop ]

Let’s make this International Compost Awareness Week one to remember!

More information on exciting plans for 2016 to follow but in the meantime here is an overview of what we did in 2015.

Our theme for 2015 was 'Life inside your compost heap'.  A compost heap isn't just a heap of dead stuff; it is a hotbed of biological activity.  One gram of compost can be home to literally millions of microscopic creatures.  The compost heap is a bit like a mini-beast nature reserve. 

T o help you discover this hidden world we created the following resources:

To see our Compost Creature leaflet click

If composting creatures themed wordsearches are your thing then click

For a composting activity sheet click

Identify the creatures you find in your compost heap with a handy ID sheet by clicking

Life inside your compost heap - What you don't see; factsheet

You can see some of the creature photos in Garden Organic's 2016 calendar here:

We have also been celebrating the International Year of Soils and have created an exciting new Soil Information Pack .

 “ It is a truth universally acknowledged – but often overlooked – that our soil is at the very heart of successful growing ”, writes James Campbell, Chief Executive at Garden Organic.

This pack will help you understand your soil, and how to manage it the organic way – creating the best environment for your plants to thrive.

It includes information on the following:

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Soil Health
• Know Your soil
• Managing Your Soil
• The function of plant nutrients
• Soil Improvers Application Rates
• Testing soil and improving fertility
• Surveying the soil at a site
• Composting – A step by step guide
• Sort out your Soil – A practical guide to Green Manures

Enjoy getting to know your soil. Happy growing!

 

Competition time!

 

Leicestershire Master Composter Rod Weston set up a poster competition to celebrate Compost Awareness Week this year and you can find out about the winners here .

 

 

 

 

Check out what we have seen in our compost...

This is of a pseudoscorpion, the grid squares are each 5mm.