The worlds best fertiliser for free

Gardeners can lay their hands on the "very best fertiliser and soil conditioner bar none" for free.

The secret to this thrifty fact lies not in some intricate scam or special offer but in the compost heap at the bottom of the garden, according to celebrity gardener Monty Don.

While food scraps and garden waste can be added to the compost bin, Don advises that more unusual items can actually have some hidden benefit.

Things like old socks, kitchen waste and wrapping paper can often be recycled, he wrote in the Daily Mail.

"A little trouble and a little understanding of the process will pay dividends," he wrote, suggesting that developing good compost is an integral way of getting the best out of the garden and greenhouse.

Many councils provide green waste recycling bins but the Royal Horticultural Society advises that those without one can take their garden waste to their local civic amenity site, where the majority of councils will turn it into compost.