Imagine cuddling an adorable, chubby baby. Am I alone in that weird desire to take a wee nibble? I am glad I have refrained (so far) from eating my children and comforted that psychology explains my peculiar feelings as “intrusive thoughts” apparently coming from my old, ancestral brain. However another weird longing has just begun – to dive in to the mountain of loose (cheaper and more eco-friendly) compost sitting on my driveway!

An important element of eco-gardening is looking after the soil rather than applying factory-produced chemicals to the plants. As the compost decomposes in the soil it adds humus which is like a magic tonic; improving drainage, air circulation, soil stability, increasing water retention and the number of plant nutrients and micro-organisms in the soil.

This is an extract from the November 2010 issue of Reform.

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