Compost Heap.

Or simply making your own manure !

Both of us are garden-novices. Bob has some more experience, as he helped his Dad with mowing the lawn and the odd bit of pruning. For me, the height of gardening was my ability to remember to water the flowers. I think you get the picture...

To our credit, we have embraced our garden with gusto ( by my yard stick, others would think that we are a bit lazy ). Bob keeps our lawns cut and makes sure all the apples that fall on the ground are picked up. We have five apple trees, so it is no mean feat. I try and pull out the weeds in the front garden, water the plants and dead-head the pegonias. Cunningly, I focus on the bit of garden that is most visible to the odd ( most of the neighbourhood ) passer-by. At least give them a good first impression. In a small village, these things count !

In the back garden, we have a heap where all organic waste is piled. Our version of a compost heap. But as there are hundreds of rotting apples on it, the aroma is not so pleasant ! Luckily it is not to close to our neighbour, because the thought of moving the pile is just awful.( We most likely would have waited for our next visitors to arrive and ask them to help !!!)

Bob is keen to make a proper compost enclosure with wooden planks, etc. I am very impressed with his enthusiasm for manure. Yesterday I heard him using the axe to shape the wooden stakes. Gosh, that does sound a bit ' ghoulish ', but that is what he was doing.

As he is not quite sure how and where to place it, he asked various friends and family... yes you guessed it, they all have different ideas and advice. The strange thing about getting advice is, that each person's ideas sound plausable, even perfect...until you hear the next one !
Let's see whose advice Bob follows.

Biggi

Last year, we did not pick up any apples...yuk, it was not nice to walk on.

I could only find this picture of our apple trees in spring...

Bob makes sure to eat the plums, before they have a chance to fall on the floor !