Just watched a Vasili's Garden on Channel 31 (for those in Australia) and found out how to recognise the best soil. Just pick up a handful, clench your fist, open your fist flat, and the dirt should have compacted. Then poke the dirt with a finger on your other hand and the dirt should crumble.
Another thing I've recently learnt, is how to compost easily. I've had a tumble compost thingy for years and it's been a waste of time and energy. However, I now know how to trench compost. I gather all the kitchen scraps over a week/two weeks in a bowl in the fridge, put it through the blender, dig a hole in my veggie patch and put the scraps in and cover it up with dirt. My veggie patch has nothing growing in it at the moment. I did this for the first time three weeks ago and just turned over the ground and only the egg shells are intact (next time I'll crush the egg shell with the veggies). The next time, I dug a little further along and added the compost. I don't add meat, dairy or onions.
I did find, however, fat wriggly worms that are great for my garden.
My mother said that when she was growing up, they lived in the country and had no rubbish collection so everything had to be composted. Her father had three composts going at the same time.
Brighter Garden - Tasha Tudor's illustrated book of Emily Dickinson poems.
