Composting lowers need for fertiliser

Environmentally-conscious horticulturalists could reduce the need for chemical fertilisers in their gardens through the use of compost, it has been asserted.

Online resource the Chicago Tribune states that people should not place their bags of garden waste into bins and remove them when they could be left in a bin to break down into compost that could help add nutrients to the soil.

"Use lots of compost in the soil of your vegetable beds and youll need to apply much less fertiliser," the site adds.

Concluding, it notes that instead of bagging up leaf clippings, gardening enthusiasts should leave them on the lawn and allow them to biodegrade as it is good for the grass and – contrary to the beliefs of some – does not cause thatch.

Meanwhile, the Salisbury Journal recently noted that the use of compost can provide a key way in which horticulturalists can keep their garden ecologically sustainable.