I have often been asked what is the best organic fertiliser to add to the soil of a vegetable garden. Its not the sort of question that has an easy answer, but its not a complicated solution either. There is really no exact answer to a “best” product when it comes to organic nutrients.

Organic gardening is more about a system of gardening - Crop rotation, mulching, composting, vermicast, and companion planting all form a part of an Organic Gardening System.

The best place to start is to create 2 or 3 compost heaps in your backyard.

Whether you use a Compost Bin, Tumbler, Stack or Compost bays – the end result will still be the same - A nutrient rich soil conditioner and mulch ready to add to your vegetable garden. You should always ensure your compost heap receives sufficient heat in order to destroy seeds that may be present from lawn clippings and weeds.

Suitable ingredients for your compost heap includes – old hay or straw, vegetable scraps, shredded paper, lawn clippings & animal manure. Avoid things like Orange peel, onion skins and meat scraps.

If you live in a unit or have a small backyard, you might have vegetables growing in pots. An ideal way to make compost in these situations is with a small worm farm. The worms create enough compost (called vermicast) to feed your potted vegetables throughout the year. All your household scraps and waste paper can be added to the worm farm.

This is an ideal start for creating an Organic Garden System.