Home composting is the most environmentally friendly way of dealing with kitchen and garden waste. It produces compost that can be used all round the garden as a soil improver and mulch.

It is easy to make: add a good mix of chopped up material, turn the heap regularly and keep it moist during the summer months.

• Grass mowings in thin layers
• Weeds (not seed heads and roots of perennials)
• Fruit and veg peelings and scraps
• Shredded or chopped prunings
• Manure
• Cardboard and paper
• Straw and hay
• Wood chippings and sawdust

Leafmould has many uses in the garden:

• It makes a wonderful soil conditioner and mulch.
• Well-rotted leaf mould can be sieved and used for seed sowing.
• When mixed with equal parts of sharp sand and top soil it can be used as potting compost.
• It can also be used on lawns as a top dressing.

To Make Leafmould: Pile up the leaves and leave them for at least two years to break down into crumbly, black leaf mould. Keep the leaf pile moist and turn it regularly. Leaves from beech, hornbeam and oak break down the quickest and make good quality leaf mould.