The UK's Garden-Links Directory

Links

Pages: 1 2 3

Worms Direct U.K
http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk
Worms Direct U.K. is a company whose specific aim is to provide the best products and service to the worm composting, fishing bait and worm specialist markets. Out experience, research and commitment enable us to provide an excellence in service, quality, know-how and reliability, for the angler, worm composter/recycler, reptile or amphibian keeper, bird and fish enthusiast and the domestic or commercial vermicomposter.
Added: 2008/01/16 Hits: 48

Making Leaf Mould UK
http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=347
How to Make Leaf Mould
817.jpg
Leaf mould is compost made only from decayed leaves. If you have deciduous trees and shrubs in your garden and enough space, it's worth making a separate heap of leaves next to your compost area. If your garden is really small, use black plastic rubbish bags. Rake up leaves and put them straight into plastic sacks, filling them about three-quarters full. Add a leaf-mould activator (e.g. Biotal) if you wish. Shake the bag, then tie up the top. Pierce the sides a few times to make holes. You'll still need a space to tuck the bags away for the year that it takes for the leaves to break down. If you have the space make a bin container.
Added: 2007/12/12 Hits: 28

Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost
Vermicompost (also called worm compost, vermicast, worm castings, worm humus or worm manure) is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by some species of earthworm. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting .

The earthworm species (or composting worms) most often used are Red Wigglers (Eisenia foetida) or Red Earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus). These species are commonly found in organic rich soils throughout Europe and north America and especially prefer the special conditions in rotting vegetation, compost and manure piles. Composting worms are available from nursery mail-order suppliers or angling (fishing) shops where they are sold as bait. Small-scale vermicomposting is well-suited to turn kitchen waste into high-quality soil, where space is limited.

Together with bacteria, earthworms are the major catalyst for decomposition in a healthy vermicomposting system, although other soil species also play a contributing role: these include insects, other worms and molds.
Added: 2007/12/12 Hits: 25

Compost, aerobic VS. Anaerobic
http://www.rivenrock.com/composttypes.htm
Now we get to another matter, that of two major classes of organisms that work to cause decomposition.

One group of creatures are called aerobic from the Greek work for air, that is they need air to live and do their work. These creatures work very well and efficiently. They generate a lot of heat while they convert the carbon and nitrogen inside the pile and reduce the volume of material. The high heat generated (about 160 degrees Fahrenheit) will kill many of the weed seeds and germs in compost. The heat also helps all the pile to break down faster and results in a nice clean fairly germ free product in just a few months. This system however is a lot more work. Since the organisms need a lot of air they will die off after a week or two as they use up the available air in the pile. When this happens you need to turn the pile and let it get more air into it, this will renew their ability to generate heat and reproduce. Ideally you will learn the timing of this and do it before their population has reduced in size. You can determine when this point is reached by the temperature inside the pile, when it cools down a bit it is time to turn it and re-wet it to keep the moisture nice and constant. When turning try to get the outside of the pile into the center of the new pile you created from the tear-down of the old one. This will let the materials on the outside that do not get much decomposition get into the center where all the action is going on. The high heat, the nice snug moist environment will ensure they get more quickly broken down.
Added: 2007/12/12 Hits: 38

Composts and Fertilisers
http://www.sturmsoft.com/Writing/guide_to-gardening/composts_and_fertilisers.htm
Organic gardening requires a very high level of soil fertility, which equates to continual inputs of large quantities of humus. The most economic source of humus is compost made on site from raw organic materials; crop residues, sawdust, animal manures, hay, seaweed, in fact anything that was once living tissue. Composting is the controlled decomposition of the raw material and there are four main methods:

1. Aerobic composting
2. Anaerobic composting
3. Vermicompost
4. Sheet composting

All four methods require similar preconditions for success. There must be a source of cellulose (carbohydrate for energy), protein (the nitrogen source), lignin (the raw ingredient for humus formation) and water. The carbon to nitrogen ratio must be between 25:1 and 35:1. If there is insufficient nitrogen, the process will be too slow. If there is an excess, you will lose nitrogen in the form of the gas ammonia, readily detected by your nose.
Added: 2007/12/12 Hits: 28

Find It At eBay Here

Garden Plants

Plants

Herbs

Fuchsias

Heather's / Erica's

Garden Ponds

Garden Pond

Gardening Tools

Gardening Hand_Tools

Honda

LAWN MOWERS