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You’ve probably heard or read that compost is really useful in the vegetable garden, not to say essential. But if you’re not sure when you should use it, and when you should use something else, then read this quick guide, and you’ll be much more confident.

Compost is an ideal way to add organic matter to soil - It doesn’t matter whether it’s home-made or whether you buy it from compost suppliers, as the organic content will be broadly similar. The only question is whether you can make enough for everything you need.

In your reading about compost and composting, you may have come across the phrase ‘worm compost’ and wondered what it meant.

After all, worm compost is not something that’s generally available from compost suppliers, like mushroom compost or mushroom and manure compost (see our range of composts here). So what is it, and how do you make it? 

Compost is a great way to add organic matter to your soil. Almost all soils will benefit from a bit more organic matter: it helps to break up heavy, clay soils, and to improve the water retention of sandy soils, as well as providing more nutrients. Of course you can buy compost, from compost suppliers. Mushroom compost, and mushroom and manure compost are particularly good options. But why not make your own compost from kitchen and garden waste? It’s really not that hard.

A bank of rhododendrons or azaleas in spring is truly a beautiful sight, and one that is familiar to many of us from visits to stately homes and gardens. But growing rhododendrons and azaleas is not difficult, even in small gardens, provided that you can meet certain requirements.