Composting
Making compost in mesh cylindrical frame
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any material that once lived can be recycled. Anything that will break down into good organic matter may be used. Such as;- Animal and Bird Manures, Kitchen Scraps, Seaweed or seagrass, Grass Clippings, Straw, Weeds, Shredded Vegetation, Newspaper, Untreated Sawdust. Animal and Bird manures may contain Antibiotics or Hormones, which may be absorbed by the plant and eaten by yourself. You could become immune to the antibiotics which could cause problems. Horses and Cows are also Wormed; this manure will kill the earthworms in your garden. Animal and Bird manures with these residues present can be used in the garden providing they have been composted for at least three, and up to six months, to allow the chemicals to leach out. Treated Sawdust is Toxic; not only will it kill the earthworms, it may also kill the plants in your garden, (only use untreated sawdust) Ask before you take any material home, it may have poison or toxic residues present, it may take years for these chemicals to disappear from your garden, if at all.
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This is an open composting method, either in a pile or in a bin without a lid. It allows the sun, air and rain to do their job, and these, with constant turning, are the essentials for a successful Aerobic compost heap. By turning the heap every week, you will have compost within six weeks. (when turning the heap, the top of the heap goes on the bottom and the bottom on top of the new heap.) The size of your compost heap will depend on what material you have access to and your fitness, the ideal size is a 1 metre square (or round) and 1 metre high (the higher the better as the height will help to retain the heat. The first layer should be approx. 150mm of coarse material - small sticks, corn stalks, vines, plant cuttings etc. Tread down, then add 150 mm layer of weeds, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, strips of newspaper, seaweed and leaves. Next add a 50 mm layer of a compost activator such as animal or bird manure, or the herb plants comfrey and yarrow, which are also good compost activators. Continue to make these layers until the heap is around a metre high, at the same time give each layer a good soaking of water. I prefer not to cover the heap as the top layer will form as a blanket to help keep the heat in and let nature do its job. If you wish to cover up, you could use thick news paper, an old carpet, or recycle depleted soil. The more often you turn the compost heap the sooner you will have rich black organic soil. If you are unable to be in a position to turn your compost heap over, cover it up with black plastic, and weight it down with bricks. After six months, with very little to do, you will have rich organic soil, ready for use in the garden. The position of a compost heap is straight on the ground (not on concrete), either in semi shade or out in the open. Most gardeners hide their compost making; but it is the heart of the garden; it should be seen and talked about. In organic compost making, blood and bone, lime, dolomite are allowed. I prefer not to. Make your own Compost Bin out of timber, concrete blocks, bricks, logs, hay bales, chain wire (whatever materials are on hand). |
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This is a closed in composting method. It is sealing from the open air, either in bins with lids, in tumblers, in trenches covered with soil, in a heap covered with black plastic, in sealed pits or in garbage bags. In anaerobic composting, the method of layering is as in aerobic composting, but the material should be well shredded and less water added. (moist only) There are several commercial compost bins and tumblers on the market, (with their own instructions) or you could make your own out of an old rubbish bin)
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This is covering the top of the soil (100 mm thick layer) to protect the soil and feed the plants. Materials: hay, straw, seaweed, dry grass clippings, compost, news paper. It is making the whole garden one big compost heap. Mulching stops the rain from washing the soil away. It keeps the moisture in and the heat out in summer and in winter keeps the soil warm and the cold out. It retards weed growth.
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