Monty Don's free garden item 'better than any product known to man'

Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don has shared his top for May

08:49, 10 May 2026Updated 08:49, 10 May 2026

British television presenter and gardener Monty Don pictured at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, where they discussed their autobiographical story entitled 'The Jewel Garden' which describes their struggle against business failure and subsequent success. (Photo by Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images)

British television presenter and gardener Monty Don shared the advice in his May 2024 blog(Image: Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images)

Monty Don has revealed that there’s one straightforward task everyone can carry out this month to help their garden thrive.

In his May blog, Monty Don shared that people should make their own compost, and it’s simpler than you might think. Not only is it easy to produce, but it will be “better than any product known to man.”

The television presenter and author, best known for Gardeners’ World, recommends transforming your kitchen scraps into “black gold”. And best of all, it won’t cost you a penny.

He wrote: “Compost is the alchemy of a garden, turning waste into black gold and we should compost every scrap of garden and kitchen waste.

“The secret of making it reasonable quickly is to have a good mix of matter high in nitrogen (green) like grass clippings and drier material (brown) that is high in carbon and then to aerate it often by turning it. This does not have to be a major operation – just forking through it will help a lot.

Weeds on a pavement

Remember to get those weeds(Image: Kinga Krzeminska via Getty Images)

“The point is to get oxygen into the heap which in turn feeds the bacteria that eat the decomposing material and convert it into compost which will then enrich your soil with essential bacteria, fungi and nutrients better than any product known to man.”

For those with limited outdoor space, a wide range of compost bins is available for purchase that keep the material neatly contained as it breaks down and becomes ready to use.

According to BBC Gardeners World Magazine, compost is a natural method to enhance your garden. It enriches the soil with nutrients, supports plant growth, and can serve as a fertiliser, mulch, or soil conditioner.

You can make your own compost by recycling garden and kitchen waste in a compost bin.

Over time, the material breaks down into rich, home-made compost ready to use in your garden.

Compost bins come in different shapes, sizes, and prices, so there are options to suit both large gardens and smaller outdoor spaces. It offers a guide to the Best Compost Bins in 2026 here.