Over 50 gardening enthusiasts from Busselton and surrounds learned how to create nutrient-rich compost for their gardens, at a recent Bay OK Gardens workshop with soil biology expert Mark Tupman of Productive Ecology.
Hosted by Chat ‘n’ Garden at The People Place Busselton and co-organised by GeoCatch, garden goers learned all about the benefits of good compost and got their hands dirty with a little digging and watering.
Mark explained how composting can be used to turn organic waste into a valuable product. “Composting helps your plants grow better, which in turn improves the soil, so it’s a win-win,” said Mark.
“The people that came along showed so much enthusiasm for composting and gardening,” he added. “They all participated and asked great questions, and I can see they are going to go home and put it into practice.
Workshop participant and Busselton local, Rosemary, said she learned a great deal at the workshop. “Today we’ve learnt how to optimise the way we compost and that’s been excellent,” said Rosemary. “There were heaps of good ideas we didn’t know. Composting sounds simple but in fact there’s a lot to know about it and to learn those things from someone who’s a real specialist in the field was really good.”
Mark’s tips for good composting include balancing carbon-rich materials with nitrogen-rich materials, using a combination of ingredients such as straw, greens and manure, building smaller heaps so the resident microbe populations don’t run out of air or overheat, and keeping things moist but not wet. Finally, it’s a great idea to add some composting worms at some stage to finish things off.
The People Place Centre Manager, Julia Poole, said it was wonderful to see the workshop being so well attended. “Chat n Garden started earlier this year and works with the community to encourage people to come in and garden or attend a workshop.”
This workshop was supported by funding from the Department of Communities, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Healthy Estuaries WA, with gardening products provided by Naturaliste Turf Supplies.
The People Place Chat ‘n’ Garden is a social gardening group gathering weekly, learning from the community for the community.
