Experienced landscaper Peter Stubbs says starting a compost heap is the first step towards improving soils and a cost-effective way to feed gardens with rich organic matter all year round. "Adding a layer of compost yearly nourishes the soil, supplying it with a host of nutrients that benefit plants by proving insulation as well as improving soil structure," says Peter.

Composting speeds up the natural processes of rotting plant debris that naturally occurs on a forest floor. By turning the heap fortnightly, the compost will be ready to use in six to eight weeks.

All that's needed to make compost area leaves and prunings, organic kitchen waste, air movement and heat. The secret of first-rate compost is a good mix of materials, but Peter advises against adding anything that is too dry or too wet. "If the compost is too dry composting will be very slow, if it is too wet it will become a putrid sludge. So rather than adding a thick layer of grass clippings or prunings, first-mix the material," says Peter. Some gardeners add blood and bone to improve the compost quality, others add activators to speed the process up and the compost traditionalists just let the worms do all the work.

Don't be discouraged in winter when the break-down of leaf-litter almost stops due to low ground temperatures. Peter's tip is to cover the heap in black plastic to help the compost warm up during the day to accelerate the action. "We recycle every-thing else like paper and bottles so it makes good sense to recycle our organic waster into compost".