What kind of gardener are you?

If you’re a keen cook, why not experiment with growing your own herbs in the kitchen? Herbs are easy to grow all year round and it's a great way to get the kids involved in gardening too. Follow the Know Your Compost guide to growing herbs and transform your culinary repertoire!

1. Choose your plants
   For example:
   
   • Basil is a great addition to soups and Italian cooking
   • Mint is great cooked with new potatoes
   • Rosemary is great with lamb and other meats
   You can start from scratch and grow them from seed or you can also buy them as ready grown plants.
2. Pick your pot
   Herbs grow well in terracotta or ceramic pots  - and if you’re buying them from your garden centre they will have been growing in pots anyway (although the pots  will be a little small for ongoing growth).
3. Add compost
   Choose a peat-free compost. Cover any holes at the bottom of your container with some broken bits of pot and add a layer of the compost before repotting your plant. Using a peat-free compost means you are also doing your bit for the environment.
4. Give them some sun and water well
   Most herbs flourish in a sunny spot, which could be your window sill.
5. Plant on time
   Herbs are best planted in Spring for use in Summer.
6. Enjoy
   The more you cut your plants, the more they’ll grow!

What better way to save money than to grow your own delicious vegetables. Even if you have limited garden space, there are lots of varieties of salad, vegetable and fruit that will thrive in pots on your patio, balcony or even windowsills.

Follow this step by step guide:

1. Choose your fruit and veg!
   Grow veg you enjoy eating. For example, we eat a lot of salad leaves during warmer weather so choosing “cut and come again” varieties of rocket, lettuce and spinach will keep you going all summer long and can be harvested as you need it. Nothing beats home grown tomatoes and peppers for that Mediterranean flavour.
   
   If you’ve missed the start of the season for growing from seed, buying plants from a local garden centre is a good way to get your crop going. When buying your plants inspect them carefully to check they aren’t diseased, and try if possible to buy plants potted in peat-free compost. Alternatively, why not find a friend who can give you some of their surplus seedlings?
2. Pick your container
   Herbs and salads like shallow pots, whereas other crops will thrive in a deeper container.
   When you transplant your plants into containers use a peat-free compost to ensure you are being a greener gardener.
3. Position your pots
   where they will get the best light to help them thrive. Look after your plants and enjoy the results!

Having ‘green fingers’ isn’t just about growing things in your garden – there are lots of choices when it comes to being green in the garden, such as what products to buy and how to get rid of your garden waste. If you want to do more for the environment, follow these five easy tips from the Know Your Compost Campaign:

1. Use peat-free compost containing recycled materialsPeat-free compost can be used in a number of ways including:
   • as a growing media in tubs, pots and baskets
   • as a ‘mulch’ to help prevent weeds, conserve moisture and protect plants from the elements
   • as lawn dressings and soil improvers
   Not only is it good news for the environment because it helps us to divert organic waste from landfill, it also gets great results for your garden and won’t cost you the earth.
2. Home compost kitchen and garden waste. For more information on Home Composting - including how to purchase a compost bin or wormery at a great price - visit www.recyclenow.com/compost
3. Recycle any garden waste you can’t compost using a kerbside collection service or local recycling facilities.
4. Use a water butt to collect rain water for your garden.
5. Buy recycled products for your garden and home, or save money by using old yoghurt pots, egg boxes or food trays as seed trays.