The process begins with building organic matter into the soil. Tracey starts by layering autumn garden clean-up materials across the bed, including spent vegetable crops such as corn, cucumber, zucchini and herbs, which break down relatively quickly. Prunings from ornamental gardens can also be included, such as dahlia stems, nepeta, echinops and correas, although she advises avoiding anything too woody.
“Woody materials require much longer to decompose and don’t contribute as effectively to the short term,” she says.
To speed up decomposition, all material is chopped into pieces around 30cm or smaller before being spread across the bed in a layer approximately 10–15cm thick. The bed is then thoroughly watered, as moisture is essential for microbial activity and the breakdown process.
The next stage focuses on feeding and conditioning the soil. For a garden bed measuring 4.5m x 1.5m, Tracey applies a simple recipe of 20kg Rapid Raiser, 2kg Seamungus, 10kg gypsum, 2L dolomite, 2L garden lime and a few forkfuls of fresh chicken manure.
“All of this gets lightly mixed across the surface and watered in thoroughly,” Tracey says. “The gypsum improves soil structure and adds calcium, while the lime balances pH and contributes magnesium.”
She explains that products such as Rapid Raiser and Seamungus provide slow, steady nutrition for the soil food web and developing plants “Fresh chicken manure gives it an extra nitrogen kick and helps break down the prunings, but it’s essential that it is given time to break down. If you’re skimping on the resting time, leave this out.” she advises.
