Brooklyn Queens Land Trust

Compst Heaps/El abono amontona

Compost heaps

There are several ways in which compost heaps can be made and various theories exist as to the way in which they should be treated. There are two important points which are essential for successful compost making and these are adequate drainage and aeration and sufficient moisture.

A compost heap is a necessary feature in the average garden. It provides a means of collecting the surprising amount of waste material which is gathered together during regular garden maintenance and it supplies the garden, or rather, the soil, with valuable organic matter. This organic matter fulfils several vital functions. It helps to improve the structure of the soil, especially the heavy clay types and the light sandy kinds. It encourages a vigorous root system and also acts as a sponge to retain moisture. Light, sandy soils tend to dry out rather badly and a high humus content is necessary to overcome this problem. Well-rotted composted vegetable waste can be used as a mulch around plants and between rows of vegetables where it will smother small annual weeds and prevent the surface soil from drying out badly.

It is advisable to give some thought to the siting and layout of a compost heap, particularly where the garden is small. A compost heap can look ugly and untidy if neglected, but fortunately there are several ways in which the material can be contained neatly and efficiently. Although the heap should be placed in an unobtrusive position in the garden, it should not be put in a position which is damp, heavily shaded or closed in. In these conditions the waste material can become offensive and will certainly not rot down into the dark friable mass it should.

The size of the area a compost heap will require will depend naturally on the size of the garden and especially on the number and sizes of the lawns, for the biggest proportion of compost heap ingredients consists of lawn clippings. The usual recommendation is that the heap should not be more than 90cm (3ft) wide or 90cm (3ft) in height when first built. There will be considerable shrinkage later on due to the decomposition of the waste vegetation in the heap. One of the neatest ways of making a compost heap is to purchase a specially constructed bin or container. Some are made from extra stout gauge wire, stove enamelled dark green, others have a rustic appearance with a strong wooden framework. Most types have either a removable side or one which hinges so that the heap can be filled or emptied easily.

It is quite an easy matter to construct a compost bin from the following material: four corner posts 1.2m (4ft) long (30cm (l ft) to be inserted in the ground), and 5-7cm (2-5in) square. The sides or `filling' in pieces are made from 90cm (3ft) lengths of timber 7cm (3in) wide and at least 2.5cm (1in) thick. Six will be required for each side making a total of 24 pieces. They are spaced approximately 10cm (4in) apart and screwed into the corner posts. To provide for a removable side, one set of side pieces, 3cm (1 1/4in) less in length than the others, are screwed to two separate corner rails 5-7cm (2-5in) wide and 2.5cm (1 in) thick. The complete unit slides into two of the fixed corner posts, in a groove or channel made from two 90cm. (3ft) pieces of 2.5 x 7cm (3 x 1in) timber spaced from the two fixed corner posts by two thin strips of wood 3cm (1 1/4in) thick and 2.5cm (1in) wide. All timber must be thoroughly treated against rot. The ends of the corner posts should be well soaked for several hours before they are inserted in the soil.

Where appearance is not important, or where the compost heap is so sited that it can be hidden from view, old sheets of corrugated iron could well be used in the construction.

The successful decomposition of waste material in a heap depends on the action of bacteria and fungi. The bacteria depend on plenty of nitrogen as food and the rate of decay can be increased by supplying some readily available nitrogen. This can be provided by sprinkling the material with a nitrogenous fertilizer such as sulphate of ammonia or Nitro-chalk. Another method of adding Nitrogen is by placing layers of good quality, fresh animal manure between the layers of garden waste. The heap is, in fact, built up in sandwich fashion with alternate layers of manure and waste.

To get rid of air pockets, each 15-20cm (6-8in) layer of material to be rotted down is trodden fairly firmly. It is customary, though not absolutely essential, to cover each trodden layer with a further layer of soil, about an inch thick. The next layer of waste material is put on this and trodden when it is about 15-20cm (6-8in) There are proprietary preparations on the market which accelerate the decomposition process. Some are specially formulated to deal with tougher ingredients of a heap such as herbaceous trimmings, pea and bean husk, or top growths. Others are particularly suited to the softer materials such as lawn clippings, lettuce leaves, annual weeds and such. Some proprietary formulae include seaweed which produces a very rapid fermentation of the heap. These accelerators are sprinkled on the layers of waste as the heap is built up, in lieu of the nitrogenous fertilizers mentioned.

Where the tougher materials are to be rotted down without the use of a proprietary compost maker, it is a good idea to bruise or chop the stems to aid rotting. Plenty of water must be provided also as this type of harder waste is built into a heap. Some gardeners can obtain quantities of straw and this is very useful as an addition to the compost heap. As a successful heap requires plenty of aeration and drainage, it is wise to start a heap with some of this coarser material at the bottom. Some gardeners like to drive in one or two stakes into a heap so that, when they are withdrawn, air holes or passages are provided which pass right into the material.

Although a well-made compost heap should rot down satisfactory by itself, the contents can be turned after a period of three to four weeks. This is done by transferring the heap to a position close by its original one. Forkfuls of rotting waste placed in the same area, but as the work is carried out, the outer portions of the heap are placed towards the center of the new one. It may be necessary to add a little water to areas which may be a little dry.

It is necessary to appreciate the fact that acids are produced as byproducts of even the most favorable decay and that too much acid will spoil compost. This problem can be overcome if some lime is included in the heap. This can be done if some powdered chalk or limestone is sprinkled on alternate layers of waste vegetation. A fertilizer or a dressing containing lime such as Nitrochalk can be used instead. It is important to note that lime and chalk must not be allowed to come into contact with sulphate of ammonia which might be used as an accelerator. If this is done, ammonia will be liberated and nitrogen lost as ammonia gas.

Decay is also hastened in a fairly warm temperature and in a damp atmosphere. The spring and autumn periods, therefore, will be times when rotting down will be at its peak. One would assume that the summer months would be ideal also. This is true to a certain extent, but if a heap is situated where it receives the direct rays of the sun, considerable drying out of the material will result and decay will not be as rapid.

Much of the value of the compost can be lost if the heap is exposed for long to rain. The nutrients will be lost by being washed away. Where compost has to be stored for any length of time, it is wise to provide some form of shelter for it. An open-sided shed is suitable or a temporary roof can be made. To do this, four strong posts are required about 5cm (2in) square. Two of these should be about 15-25cm (6-l0in) longer than the others. Their total length should be such that they clear the top of the compost heap by 60cm (2ft).

The longest posts are inserted at the front of the compost heap, close by the existing posts or bin sides. The other two posts are placed at the use of the heap. Across each pair of posts a rail should be fastened on which the roofing material will rest. The two rails should be cut from timber approximately 5 X 3 cm (2 x1.5in) in section.

Various types of material can be used for the roof. Corrugated metal sheets or cheap PVC sheets are ideal. The sheets are nailed or screwed down on to the cross rails. Where necessary, an overlap of 5-7cm (2-5in) on the sheets should be provided. The finished roof will have sufficient pitch or slope to shed rainfall. The sheets must be purchased large enough so that they overhang all four sides of the compost heap by at least l0cm (4in).

There are different opinions as to the length of time compost should be kept before it is ready for use. It must be kept until it has decayed to such an extent that the individual ingredients of which it is composed can no longer be distinguished. Usually the material is in an ideal condition when it has become a dark, friable or crumbly mass. A slimy state is not satisfactory and shows that the heap has been made up incorrectly.

In warm weather, soft refuse will take about four to six weeks to decay but in winter the period will be much longer, and anything up to three or four months will be necessary before thorough decomposition has taken place Where the refuse is harder or tougher, the period necessary for decomposition will be longer.

But the best of soils in both content and texture is useless unless it is moist. Plants need water to sustain themselves and because all plant foods are absorbed in the form of liquid chemical compounds. The source of nearly all the water that a garden needs is natural rain, and only in comparatively rare periods of drought is artificial watering necessary. This is a relatively simple matter today with the many watering aids available to us, some of them automatic. The main rule when watering is to do it thoroughly, for if only the soil surface is moist the roots of plants will tend to turn upwards in the soil towards this area and expose themselves to drought or to burning by the sun. It is almost impossible, except in low-lying areas or poorly drained soils, to over water artificially. Over watering occurs with repeated heavy rains.


El abono amontona

Hay varias maneras en cu?¡l los montones de abono se pueden hacer y varias teor?­as existen en cuanto a la manera en que ellos deben ser tratados. Hay dos puntos importantes que son esenciales para hacer exitoso de abono y ?©stos son desag?¼es y aeraciones adecuados y la humedades suficientes.

Un mont?³n del abono es una caracter?­stica necesaria en el jard?­n mediano. Proporciona un medios de reunir la cantidad sorprendente de la materia del desecho que se re?ºne junto durante conservaci?³n regular de jard?­n y suministra el jard?­n, o sino, la tierra, con la materia org?¡nica valiosa. Esta materia org?¡nica cumple varias funciones esenciales. Ayuda a mejorar la estructura de la tierra, especialmente el pesado de tipo arcilla y las clases cubiertas de arena ligeras. Alenta un sistema vigoroso de ra?­z y act?ºa como tambi?©n una esponja para retener la humedad. La luz, tierras cubiertas de arena tienden a secar m?¡s bien mal y un contenido alto del mantillo es necesario vencer este problema. El desecho bien pudrido de la verdura de composted se puede utilizar como un pajote alrededor de plantas y entre filas de verduras donde lo sofocar?¡ hierbas anuales peque?±as y prevendr?¡ la tierra de superficie de secando mal.

Es conveniente dar algunos pensaron al sentar y la disposici?³n de un mont?³n de abono, especialmente donde el jard?­n es peque?±o. Un mont?³n del abono puede parecer feo y desali?±ado si descuid?³, pero hay afortunadamente varias maneras en que la materia se puede contener ordenadamente y eficientemente. Aunque el mont?³n se deba colocar en una posici?³n discreta en el jard?­n, no se debe poner en una posici?³n que est?¡ h?ºmeda, pesadamente dado sombra ni encerrado. En estas condiciones la materia del desecho puede llegar a ser la ofensiva y ciertamente no se pudrir?¡ hacia abajo en la masa friable oscura que lo debe.

El tama?±o del ?¡rea un mont?³n de abono requerir?¡ depender?¡ naturalmente en el tama?±o del jard?­n y especialmente en el n?ºmero y tama?±o de los c?©spedes, para la proporci?³n m?¡s grande de ingredientes de mont?³n de abono se compone de recortes de c?©sped. La recomendaci?³n usual es que el mont?³n no debe ser m?¡s de 90 cm (3 p) ancho ni 90 cm (3 p) en la altura cuando construy?³ primero. Habr?¡ merma considerable m?¡s tarde debido a la decomposici?³n de la vegetaci?³n del desecho en el mont?³n. Uno de las maneras m?¡s ordenadas de hacer un mont?³n de abono deber?¡ comprar un caj?³n o el contenedor especialmente construidos. Algunos se hacen del alambre robusto extra del calibrador, enamelled de estufa oscuro verde, los otros tienen una apariencia r?ºstica con una armaz?³n de madera fuerte. La mayor?­a de los tipos tienen o un lado movible o uno que depiende para que el mont?³n se pueda llenar o puede ser vaciado f?¡cilmente.

Es bastante una cuesti?³n f?¡cil de construir un caj?³n de abono de la materia siguiente: cuatro postes 1.2m de rinc?³n (4 p) largo (30 cm (p L) ser metido en el suelo), y 5-7cm (2-5in) cuadrado. Los lados o ?§filling' en pedazos son hechos de 90 cm (3 p) las longitudes de madera 7 cm (3 en) ancho y por lo menos 2.5cm (1 en) grueso. Seis ser?¡n requeridos para cada lado que hace un suma de 24 pedazos. Ellos son espaciados aproximadamente 10 cm (4 en) aparte y enroscados en los postes de rinc?³n. Para proporcionar para un lado movible, un conjunto de pedazos de lado, 3 cm (1 1/4in) menos de largo que los otros, son enroscados a dos barandas 5-7cm (2-5in separadas del rinc?³n) ancho y 2.5cm (1 en) grueso. La unidad completa desliza en dos de los postes fijos de rinc?³n, en una ranura o el canal hechos de dos 90 cm. (3 p) los pedazos de 2.5 X 7 cm (3 X 1 en) madera espaci?³ de los dos postes fijos de rinc?³n por dos tiras delgadas de madera 3 cm (1 1/4in) grueso y 2.5cm (1 en) lejos. Toda madera se debe tratar completamente contra la putrefacci?³n. Los fines de los postes de rinc?³n deben ser bien empapados por varias horas antes ellos son metidos en la tierra.

Donde apariencia no es importante, ni donde el mont?³n de abono es tan se sent?³ que se puede esconder de la vista, hojas viejas de hierro ondulado pueden sea utilizado bien en la construcci?³n.


La decomposici?³n exitosa de la materia del desecho en un mont?³n depende de la acci?³n de bacterias y hongos. Las bacterias dependen de la abundancia de nitr?³geno como alimento y la velocidad de descomposici?³n pueden ser aumentados suministrando alg?ºn nitr?³geno prontamente disponible. Esto puede ser proporcionado rociando la materia con un abono nitrogenado tal como sulfato del amoniaco o Nitro cret?¡ceo. Otro m?©todo de agregar Nitr?³geno est?¡ colocando capas de la calidad buena, abono animal fresco entre las capas del desecho del jard?­n. El mont?³n es, de hecho, construy?³ en la moda de sandwich con capas alternas de abono y desecho.

Para deshacerse de bolsas de aire, cada 15-20cm (6-8in) capa de la materia para se ser pudrida es pisado hacia abajo bastante firmemente. Es de costumbre, aunque no absolutamente esencial, para cubrir cada capa pisada con una capa adicional de tierra, acerca de una pulgada gruesa. La pr?³xima capa de la materia del desecho se pone este y pisado cuando est?¡ acerca de 15-20cm (6-8in) hay las preparaciones propietarias en el mercado que acelera el proceso de la decomposici?³n. Algunos se formulan especialmente tratar con ingredientes m?¡s duros de un mont?³n trimmings tal como herb?¡ceo, de c?¡scara de guisante y frijol, o de los crecimientos primeros. Los otros son acomodados especialmente a las materias m?¡s suaves tal como recortes del c?©sped, las hojas de lechuga, hierbas anuales y tan. Algunos f?³rmulas propietarios incluyen la alga que produce una fermentaci?³n muy r?¡pida del mont?³n. Estos aceleradores se roc?­an en las capas del desecho como el mont?³n es construido, en vez de los abonos nitrogenados mencionados.


D?³nde las materias m?¡s duras se deber?¡n ser pudridas hacia abajo sin el uso de un fabricante propietario de abono, son una idea buena magullar o cortar el pudrir auxiliado por-tallos. La abundancia de agua se debe proporcionar tambi?©n como este tipo del desecho m?¡s duro se construye en un mont?³n. Algunos jardineros pueden obtener las cantidades de paja y esto es muy ?ºtil como una adici?³n al mont?³n del abono. Cuando un mont?³n exitoso requiere la abundancia de la aeraci?³n y el desag?¼e, es sabio comenzar un mont?³n con algunos de esta materia m?¡s tosca en el fondo. Algunos jardineros aprecian manejar en uno o en dos estacas en un mont?³n para que, cuando ellos sean retirados, hoyos o pasajes a?©reos se proporcionan cu?¡l paso directamente a la materia.



Aunque un mont?³n hecho del pozo de abono deba pudrirse hacia abajo satisfactorio por s?­ mismo, el contenido se puede girar despu?©s un per?­odo de tres a cuatro semanas. Esto es hecho transfiriendo el mont?³n a una posici?³n cerca su original uno. Los conjuntos de tenedores de pudrir el desecho colocado en la misma ?¡rea, pero cuando el trabajo se llevaron a cabo, las porciones exteriores del mont?³n se colocan hacia el centro del nuevo uno. Puede ser necesario agregar un agua peque?±a a ?¡reas que pueden ser un peque?±o seco.

Es necesario apreciar el hecho que ?¡cidos se producen como subproductos de a?ºn el decaimiento m?¡s favorable y eso demasiado ?¡cido estropear?¡ abono. Este problema puede ser vence si alguna cal se incluye en el mont?³n. Esto se puede hacer si alguna tiza o la piedra caliza en polvo se roc?­an en capas alternas de vegetaci?³n de desecho. Un abono o un vestir que contienen encalan tal como Nitrochalk se puede utilizar en lugar. Es importante notar esa cal y cret?¡ceo no debe ser permitido venir en el contacto con sulfato del amoniaco que quiz?¡s se utilice como un acelerador. Si esto se hace, el amoniaco se liberar?¡ y el nitr?³geno perdido como gas de amoniaco.


El decaimiento se acelera tambi?©n en un bastante entibiar la temperatura y en una atm?³sfera h?ºmeda. Los per?­odos del primavera y el oto?±o, por lo tanto, ser?¡ tiempos cuando pudrir estar?¡ hacia abajo en su pico. Uno asumir?­a que los meses del verano ser?­an ideales tambi?©n. Esto es verdad hasta cierto punto, pero si un mont?³n se sit?ºa donde recibe los rayos directos del sol, considerable secando de la materia resultar?¡ y decaer?¡ no ser?¡ como r?¡pido.

Mucho del valor del abono se puede perder si el mont?³n se expone para largo llover. Los alimentos nutritivos ser?¡n perdidos por ser lavado lejos. Donde abono se tiene que almacenar para cualquier plazo de tiempo, es sabio proporcionar alguna forma del refugio para lo. Una barraca de lados abierta es adecuada o un techo temporario se puede hacer. Para hacer esto, cuatro postes fuertes se requieren aproximadamente 5 cm (2 en) cuadrado. Dos de ?©stos deben estar acerca de 15-25cm (6-l0in) m?¡s largo que los otros. Su longitud total debe ser tanto que ellos limpien la cima del mont?³n de abono por 60 cm (2ft).


Los postes m?¡s largos se meten en la frente del mont?³n de abono, cerca los lados existentes de postes o caj?³n. Los otros dos postes se colocan en el uso del mont?³n. A trav?©s de cada par de los postes que una baranda se debe abrochar en que la materia que techa descansar?¡. Las dos barandas se deben cortar de la madera aproximadamente 5 X 3 cm (2 x1.5in) en la secci?³n.


Varios tipos de la materia se pueden utilizar para el techo. Las hojas onduladas del metal u hojas baratas de PVC son ideales. Las hojas se clavan o son atornilladas en a las barandas de la cruz. Donde necesario, una superposici?³n de 5-7cm (2-5in) en las hojas debe ser proporcionado. El techo terminado tendr?¡ el tono o la cuesta suficientes para mudar la lluvia. Las hojas se deben comprar suficiente grandes para que ellos sobresalgan por encima de los cuatro lados del mont?³n de abono por por lo menos l0cm (4in).

Hay las opiniones diferentes en cuanto al abono de plazo de tiempo se debe mantener antes est?¡ listo para el uso. Se debe mantener hasta que haya deca?­do a tal extensi?³n que los ingredientes individuales de que se componen no puede m?¡s largo se sea distinguido. Generalmente la materia est?¡ en una condici?³n ideal cuando ha llegado a ser una oscuridad, masa friable o desmenuzable. Un estado babosa no es satisfactorio y las exposiciones que el mont?³n ha sido compuesto inexactamente.

A entibiar tiempo, el desecho suave tomar?¡ acerca de cuatro a seis semanas para decaer pero en invierno que el per?­odo ser?¡ mucho m?¡s largo, y algo hasta tres o cuatro meses ser?¡n la decomposiciones antes completos necesarios ha sucedido Donde el desecho es m?¡s duro o m?¡s duro, el per?­odo necesario para la decomposici?³n ser?¡ m?¡s largo.

Pero el mejor de tierras en ambos contento y la textura es in?ºtil a menos que sea h?ºmedo. El agua de la necesidad de plantas para sostener a s?­ mismo y porque todos alimentos de planta se absorben en la forma de compuestos qu?­micos l?­quidos. La fuente de casi toda el agua que un jard?­n necesita es la lluvia natural, y s?³lo en per?­odos relativamente raros de la sequ?­a es regar artificial necesario. Esto es una cuesti?³n relativamente sencilla hoy con el muchos que rega ayuda disponible a nosotros, algunos de ellos autom?¡tico. La regla principal cuando regar lo deber?¡ hacer completamente, para si solamente la superficie de tierra es h?ºmedas las ra?­ces de plantas tender?¡n a girar hacia arriba en la tierra hacia esta ?¡rea y exponer a s?­ mismo a la sequ?­a o a quemar por el sol. Es casi imposible, menos en ?¡reas bajas que mienten o tierras mal desaguadas, a sobre el agua artificialmente. Sobre regar ocurre con aguaceros recio repetido.

Project: Create a compost pile
Purpose: Resource conservation

One family's trash is another family's treasure.


Copyright © NWF


Backyard composting is a simple and effective way to help the environment and improve your Backyard Wildlife Habitat site. Composting is a natural process that turns organic waste from your yard and home into valuable nutrients for your gardens and indoor house plants, while at the same time reducing the amount of trash you send to the local landfill.

March is the perfect time to start a backyard compost pile since many people are spring cleaning their yards. Once you choose a proper site for your compost area and create the starter pile, there is little maintenance required. Read on to find out how to create a simple backyard compost pile in your yard!

How To

1. Choosing the site for your compost pile or bin

Choose a convenient place for your compost pile. You are more likely to use a pile that is easily accessible. Choose a level spot near a water source and preferably out of direct sunlight. Do not build your compost pile against wooden buildings or fences because it will eventually cause the wood to decay.

Your compost pile should be about 1 cubic yard (3' wide by 3' long by 3' tall). This size will ensure it is large enough to hold heat, but small enough to allow for proper aeration.

2. To bin or not to bin

Unless required by local ordinances, bins are not necessary for successful backyard composting. Composting bins may save space or look neater, but quality compost can be produced using either bins or open piles.

3. What to compost

A mixture of yard waste and select kitchen scraps creates a healthy compost pile. Start the pile with a 4-inch layer of leaves, loose soil, or other coarse yard trimmings. Always mix kitchen scraps with yard trimmings when adding them to the compost pile.

There are two types of materials that can be added to your compost pile - "greens" and "browns." Fresh "green" materials are high in nitrogen and dried "brown" materials are high in carbon. Both types of materials are necessary for the composting process. A good rule to follow is one part "greens" to three parts "browns."

"Greens" are fresh plant materials and kitchen scraps such as: green weeds and leaves, houseplants, fruit and vegetable scraps, and other kitchen scraps such coffee grounds (and filters), tea bags, stale bread, and egg shells. Certain types of manure (cow, horse, pig, chicken, and rabbit) are also considered "green" and appropriate for your compost pile.

"Browns" are dry and dead plant materials such as: straw, dried weeds and leaves, wood chips, sawdust, and shredded newspaper.

4. What NOT to compost

There are many items that should never be added to a compost pile or bin. These items may attract pests, produce a bad odor, or transmit diseases to humans, pets, or wildlife.

Avoid adding these items to your compost pile:

chemically treated wood products
diseased plants
weeds with seeds
exotic invasive plants
human wastes
pet wastes or used cat litter
meat/fish scraps or bones
oil, grease, fat
dairy products
5. Maintaining your compost pile

Compost is created by billions of microbes (fungi, bacteria, etc.) that digest the yard and kitchen wastes you place in your compost pile. In addition to the nutrition you provide through the compost ingredients, you must also maintain an adequate level of air and moisture in the pile for these microbes.

You will need to "turn" the compost pile every few weeks to circulate the air and distribute the moisture. The pile can be turned with a pitchfork or shovel. Don't be surprised by the heat generated from the pile or to see worms living in it - both are part of the natural decomposition process.

Ideally, the pile should be as moist as a damp kitchen sponge. If there is too much moisture, the compost materials will be too heavy to allow air to circulate. Simply cover the pile with a trash bag or tarp until it dries out. If there is too little moisture, add water with a hose or bucket.

6. Now for your reward… How to use the compost

In warm climates, the compost is ready to distribute within three to six months when it becomes a dark crumbly material that is uniform in texture. This nutrient-rich material can be used as potting soil or to enrich the soil in your gardens and yard beds.

For more information about backyard composting, you can order this simple, easy to read book entitled Backyard Composting: Your Complete Guide to Recycling Yard Clippings
Proyecto: Cree un prop?³sito de la pila del esti?©rcol vegetal: Una basura de la familia del recurso la conservaci?³n es tesoro de otra familia. El patio trasero del © NWF del copyright que abona es una manera simple y eficaz de ayudar al ambiente y de mejorar su sitio del habitat de la fauna del patio trasero. El abonamiento es un proceso natural que da vuelta a la basura org?¡nica de su yarda y hogar en los alimentos valiosos para sus jardines y plantas de interior de la casa, mientras que en el mismo tiempo que reduce la cantidad de basura usted env?­a al terrapl?©n local. Marcha es la ?©poca perfecta de comenzar una pila del esti?©rcol vegetal del patio trasero puesto que mucha gente es resorte que limpia sus yardas. Una vez que usted elija un sitio apropiado para su ?¡rea del esti?©rcol vegetal y cree la pila del arrancador, hay poco mantenimiento requerido. ¡Le?­do encendido para descubrir c?³mo crear una pila simple del esti?©rcol vegetal del patio trasero en su yarda! C?³mo A 1. Eligiendo el sitio para su pila o compartimiento del esti?©rcol vegetal elija un lugar conveniente para su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal. Usted es m?¡s probable utilizar una pila que sea f?¡cilmente accesible. Elija un punto llano cerca de una fuente de agua y preferiblemente fuera de luz del sol directa. No construya su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal contra edificios o cercas de madera porque har?¡ eventual la madera decaerse. Su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal debe ser cerca de 1 yarda c?ºbica (3 ' de par en par por 3' de largo por 3' alto). Este tama?±o la asegurar?¡ es bastante grande llevar a cabo calor, pero bastante peque?±o para tener en cuenta la aireaci?³n apropiada. 2. Al compartimiento o no al compartimiento a menos que sean requeridos por las ordenanzas locales, los compartimientos no son necesarios para el patio trasero acertado que abona. El abonamiento de compartimientos puede ahorrar el espacio o parecer m?¡s aseado, pero el esti?©rcol vegetal de la calidad puede ser producido usando compartimientos o abrir pilas. 3. Qu?© a la mezcla del esti?©rcol vegetal A de la basura de la yarda y de la cocina selecta desecha crea una pila sana del esti?©rcol vegetal. Comience la pila con una capa 4-inch de se va, suelo flojo, u otros ajustes gruesos de la yarda. Mezcle siempre los desechos de la cocina con los ajustes de la yarda al agregarlos a la pila del esti?©rcol vegetal. Hay dos tipos de materiales que se puedan agregar a su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal - los "verdes" y los "marrones." Los materiales "verdes" frescos son altos en nitr?³geno y los materiales "marrones" secados son altos en carb?³n. Ambos tipos de materiales son necesarios para el proceso del abonamiento. Una buena regla a seguir es una porci?³n "verdes" a tres porciones "marrones." los "verdes" son materiales de planta y desechos frescos de la cocina por ejemplo: las malas hierbas verdes y los desechos se van, de los houseplants, de la fruta y del veh?­culo, y la otra cocina desecha tales argumentos del caf?© (y los filtros), los bolsos de t?©, el pan a?±ejo, y c?¡scaras de huevo. Ciertos tipos de abono (vaca, caballo, cerdo, pollo, y conejo) tambi?©n se consideran "verde" y se apropian para su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal. los "marrones" son materiales de planta secos y muertos por ejemplo: la paja, malas hierbas secadas y se va, las virutas de madera, serr?­n, y peri?³dico destrozado. 4. Cu?¡l a no abonar hay muchos art?­culos que se deben nunca agregar a una pila o a un compartimiento del esti?©rcol vegetal. Estos art?­culos pueden atraer par?¡sitos, producir un mal olor, o transmitir enfermedades a los seres humanos, a los animales dom?©sticos, o a la fauna. Evite de agregar estos art?­culos a su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal: las malas hierbas enfermas qu?­micamente tratadas de las plantas de los productos de madera con las basuras invasoras ex?³ticas del animal dom?©stico de las basuras del ser humano de las plantas de las semillas o el gato usado dejan en desorden el aceite de los desechos o de huesos de meat/fish, grasa, productos l?¡cteos gordos 5. Mantener su esti?©rcol vegetal de la pila del esti?©rcol vegetal es creada por mil millones de los microbios (hongos, bacterias, los etc.) ese resumen la yarda y la cocina le pierde lugar en su pila del esti?©rcol vegetal. Adem?¡s de la nutrici?³n usted proporciona a trav?©s de los ingredientes del esti?©rcol vegetal, usted debe tambi?©n mantener un nivel adecuado del aire y de la humedad en la pila para estos microbios. Usted necesitar?¡ "dar vuelta" a la pila del esti?©rcol vegetal cada pocas semanas para circular el aire y para distribuir la humedad. La pila se puede dar vuelta con un pitchfork o una pala. No sea sorprendido por el calor generado de la pila o ver gusanos el vivir en ella - ambos son parte del proceso natural de la descomposici?³n. Idealmente, la pila debe ser tan h?ºmeda como una esponja h?ºmeda de la cocina. Si hay demasiada humedad, los materiales del esti?©rcol vegetal ser?¡n demasiado pesados permitir que el aire circule. Cubra simplemente la pila con un bolso o un tarp de la basura hasta que deseca. Si hay demasiado poca humedad, agregue el agua con una manguera o un cubo. 6. ¿Ahora para su recompensa? C?³mo utilizar el esti?©rcol vegetal en climas calientes, el esti?©rcol vegetal es listo distribuir en el plazo de tres a seis meses en que se convierte en un material desmenuzable oscuro que es uniforme en textura. Este material alimento-rico puede ser utilizado como suelo del encapsulamiento o enriquecer el suelo en sus jardines y camas de la yarda. Para m?¡s informaci?³n sobre el patio trasero que abona, usted puede pedir este simple, f?¡cil leer el patio trasero dado derecho libro abonando: Su gu?­a completa a reciclar recortes de la yarda

Compost Recipes/Articles

Getting Acquainted with Worms

Simple though they seem, worms possess some very complex attributes:

Worms can't see, but they move away from light, a response that protects them from drying out in the sun or becoming food for predators.
They are both male and female, reproductively speaking.
They do have a front and behind end (the narrower, pointed end faces forward), and they use their bristly segments, which are surrounded and connected by muscles, to move forward and to stay put.
The setae (bristles) on the segments help the worm cling to the soil and force robins to work hard for their lunches!
Worms are constantly feeding on soil and organic matter. They ingest the material and pass it through their bodies, creating rich worm castings (compost) in the process. They improve the soil both through their castings and by creating tunnels that help aerate and mix the soil.
Ways to Explore Worms with Kids

1. Take a worm's pulse. Worms have a large blood vessel just beneath the skin on their backs, and kids can watch the blood pulsing through it — even count the number of pulses per minute. Look for light-colored earthworms because the blood vessels are easier to see. Keep a squirt bottle handy so you can keep the worms moist while kids are examining them.

2. Look for cocoons. Kids usually can't resist babies, so they may get a kick out of looking for baby worms. The cocoons, or egg cases, resemble tiny apple seeds, and change in color from white to brown over a three- to four-week period. Determined children can usually find some cocoons by sifting through the soil where you've seen earthworms. They may be able to see baby worms inside by using a hand lens or holding the cocoon up to a light. If they're lucky, they may even see baby worms emerging!

3. Worms can sense vibrations even though they don't have ears. Your child can try to bring worms to the surface of your garden by placing one end of a thick wooden stick on the ground and holding the other end. Rapping the stick with a second bumpy stick will send vibrations into the ground and, hopefully, some worms will emerge. Fisherman use this technique to collect night crawlers for bait.

4. Watch worms at work and even conduct experiments



How to Make Compost to Gladden the Hearts of a Worm

#1 - Principles
Quoting Jolly rotten Ann-Marie Powell - from "The Guardian".

At its most basic level, compost is simply waste organic material that's decomposed into rich, crumbly soil. It's a kind of conditioner for the soil. But in reality it is much, much more.

Garden compost is wonderful stuff and a joy to behold, it improves the texture of just about any soil it is added to. If you're a plant, compost added to soil is like a nice clean flannelette sheet and duvet cover on your bed just as it's getting cold in winter. - It's like having ice, lemon and a cherry in your gin and tonic instead of it being served on its own and warm - it's like finding that there's butter and a choice of jams and marmalade after a week of dry toast for breakfast.

Oh yes, make no mistake about it, if you're a plant "getting by" in what you're planted in, then nice garden compost is the stuff of life.

There are a million and one ways of making compost and there are endless hints and tips that you could pick up, many of them conflicting.

There is no secret art to making good garden compost. Just as long as you stick to a few basic principles, you should avoid the nasty sticky mess that all too often is the result.

Look at making compost in a different way. Your compost heap is a large bacterial and fungal culture. What you should aim to do is keep these microbes as happy and plentiful as possible. It is bacteria and fungi more than anything that break the plant material on your compost heap down.

If you've ever made yogurt, then the principles are the same,

good starting material + correct bacteria + correct conditions = pleasant end product

What you need to do to obtain nice, dark brown, crumbly compost is to keep happy a varied community of bacteria and fungi. Horrible slimy, smelly stuff that takes forever to break down is a result of too much of one or a few kinds of decomposer or having poor conditions for them to grow in.

Keep the microbes happy and you will get a good result

What do microbes need to grow well?

Correct Carbon : Nitrogen ratio.

The correct balance of ingredients is essential, there should be the right balance of brown material (carbon) to green material (nitrogen).

Matter added to the heap should be in small pieces (ideally shred it first)

Moisture, well saturated to begin with, water until it drains out of the sides / bottom, and kept damp throughout thereafter.

Oxygen. A good air supply from the top and sides as far as possible.

Decomposers added to begin with "seed" with soil (contains spores of decomposers).

Keep insulated so that heat generated doesn't escape, this will speed up the rotting process.


The correct balance of food

What would a diet of dry bread do to your digestive system? Or a diet of only cheese? Cheese sandwiches on the other hand are fine.

The decomposers in your compost heap need a balanced diet of carbon (brown material) and nitrogen (green material). Too much brown and decomposition grinds pretty much to a halt. Too much green (like piles of grass clippings) and it turns into a slimy mess.

It is the carbon-rich material (brown) that will comprise most of the bulk of the finished compost, while it is the nitrogen-rich material (green) that will get it all rotting well and add valuable nutrients.

Food that is of the right size and is "available"

The raw materials of the compost need to be well mixed up so that the decomposers (which are only little and can't travel far on their own) regularly come into contact with fresh food. Mixing regularly also helps to introduce oxygen.

Shredding your material before adding it to the compost heap is probably the best single step you can take to make your heap rot down quicker.

Leaves and other plant material is designed not to rot when a part of the plant. Just like our own skin protects us from infection, plants have similar protection. When we compost plant material we need to break up the surface to expose the soft inner parts. Smaller pieces also rot quicker and you don't get long stringy woody bits in the final compost mixture.


Correct amount of moisture

Saturate your compost heap when it is made and keep it moist after this. If you are adding a lot of fresh shredded material at one time, it is surprising how much water it will soak up. Give it a thorough watering until it begins to trickle (not flood!) out of the sides and bottom.

Once made and left to rot, your heap should have a cover to stop rain from getting in and to stop it drying out.

Oxygen

The decomposing microbes grow better when oxygen is plentiful (aerobic conditions). The horrible smells and slimy messes tend to result from oxygen deficient (anaerobic) conditions.

You can help oxygen reach the contents of the compost heap by having slatted sides for air flow. Once the heap has got going (1-2 weeks) push a broom handle into the heap, right down to the bottom at intervals about 12" apart and wiggle it around to create a sort of chimney. You should get steam coming out of the vents which will help air and oxygen circulate into and through the heap.

Add microbes to begin the "culture"

Like making a yogurt, you need to add a good starting culture. Fortunately soil is already full of the right sorts of microbes in small quantities or as dormant spores. Adding a layer of soil every now and then will start your compost off nicely.

I've never found it necessary to add a 6" layer of soil as sometimes suggested, it also saves the problem of finding so much soil to add to your compost heap regularly.

Insulation

A good well-made heap will generate lots of heat, starting a couple of days after it has been made and lasting for around two weeks or more depending on the time of year. An insulated lid if possible and sides will help to keep this heat in and speed up the decomposition of the compost.

2 - Practicalities

In a Nutshell

It is better if you can make a large heap of compost in one go
Shred the material that you add to the heap, this is one of the best things you can do make quality compost.
Make sure you mix brown and green material together, the exact proportions are can vary quite a bit, just make sure that there's always some of each and always more brown than green.
Put some kind of lid on the compost heap to keep the rain off and for insulation. Even if you make the compost in a proprietary "bin" with its own lid, cover the top of the compost (inside the bin) with a piece of old carpet or polystyrene to help with insulation.
Water very well initially and keep moist afterwards, but protect from rain.
Push a broom handle into the heap after a couple of weeks when it has settled to open it up to the air.
Turn the heap over once complete, say after 1, 6 and 12 months. If you can manage it more than this, then all the better, this is the principle behind compost "tumblers" that are used to turn compost in a bin or barrel on a daily basis.
To make compost in the best possible way you really need two identically sized heaps, one next to the other. One that you are adding to and one that is rotting down gently after the initial heating phase is over.

Running two heaps next to each other is very effective. One can be "completed" and be rotting slowly while the other is used to add new material

Shredding the plant material is probably the most effective thing that you can do to improve your garden compost. When buying a shredder, buy the most powerful machine that you can afford. Even if you don't have many branches as thick as its maximum size. A larger shredder will cope more easily with any material you put through it.

Any lid on the heap is better than no lid. Here two pieces of old chipboard have been pressed into service. Old carpet (preferably foam backed) , vinyl flooring, or even a couple of bin-bags weighted down with bricks are also effective.

Once the heap has been rotting away for some time, an extra oxygen supply by pushing in a broom handle or similar and wiggling it around will help to continue the rotting process.

3 - FAQs and Tips

Q. My heap doesn't seem to get hot at all like it's supposed to.
Q. My heap is slimy and smelly and quite disgusting.
Q. I've heard that urinating on a compost heap helps, is this true, or is it a joke?
Q. I thought that it was worms that broke down the organic material into compost, what's all this about microbes?
Q. What is better a traditional compost heap or a new style plastic compost bin?
Q. More than anything else, my garden produces grass clippings, but these make the compost sticky and smelly, what is the answer?
Q. What is the best thing to with all the piles of autumn leaves that I sweep up from my garden.

Warning - Making garden compost can become addictive. In extreme cases, it is possible to see the garden as a being an elaborate means of keeping the compost heaps going.


Q. My heap doesn't seem to get hot at all like it's supposed to.

A. The usual reason is that there's not enough material added at one go. There needs to be a reasonable amount of fresh material added to get the temperature rising.

If you are adding a lot of material and it still isn't getting warm, the reason might be;

Not enough nitrogen - too much brown material, not enough green.
The heap is too dry. The material is too large pieces and needs cutting up.

Q. My heap is slimy and smelly and quite disgusting.
A. Too many grass clippings is the usual reason. Mix them with brown material if possible. A good way of dealing with 2 problems is to mix the grass clippings in the summer with leaves left over from the autumn. If you have a separate leaf pile, then mix them a bit at a time with grass clippings as you get them and put them on your compost heap.

Alternately stop collecting grass clippings and leave them on the lawn instead.

*To collect or not grass clippings discussion follows FQA

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Q. I've heard that urinating on a compost heap helps, is this true, or is it a joke?

A. Urine contains nitrogen that will help feed the microbes and speed up their break-down of the brown carbon-rich material. Also, the water content will help keep the heap moist. Some people regularly pee on the compost heap - but only when no-one's looking.

Q. I thought that it was worms that broke down the organic material into compost, what's all this about microbes?

A. Initially when a compost heap begins to rot, it is microbes, bacteria and fungi that feed on it and break it down. This generates large amounts of heat, to the point where only microbes could even survive, larger decomposers such as worms would quite literally be cooked.

Later on after a few months, when the heating stage has subsided, larger decomposers such as earthworms, woodlice, and more familiar fungi that produce mushrooms of various kinds will begin to decompose the heap. It is during this stage that the matter in the heap becomes further processed, becomes less recognisable and becomes darker and more crumbly.

Q. What is better a traditional compost heap or a new style plastic compost bin?

If you don't have much space or produce much compost material, then a bin is probably better. They are very good at dealing with small amounts of material, retain heat well and keep the rain out. They do become full very quickly however if you have a lot of material to compost.

I use one for the initial hot-phase of compost making and would recommend them highly for this. Put new material in the bin and then let it rot down, and keep adding to the bin until full. Leave for another month after it' s full and then turn upside down onto a more traditional heap, leaving for a further 6 to 8 months before using, and start again in the bin. You should be able to fill the bin with about 3 times its volume over a period of time which would then decrease (to 1) before moving the semi-rotted material to the heap.

Q. More than anything else, my garden produces grass clippings, but these make the compost sticky and smelly, what is the answer?

This is a common problem. Grass clippings can make very good compost but not on their own. Mix them if at all possible with other woody (brown) material. You could mix them autumn leaves if you have a pile of these somewhere rotting away slowly, this will be beneficial for both. You could even try an equal volume of newspaper torn up into strips and mixed in, though I haven't actually tried this method.

The worst thing you can do with grass clippings is what people often do and put them in a black bin liner that is then tied tight so that no oxygen can enter, making the whole smelly horrible mess all the more unpleasant.

Alternatively, do you really need to always collect the clippings? In the summer when the grass is dry and fairly short, you could leave them on the lawn to dry out and rot down, or even buy a "mulching lawn mower".

Q. What is the best thing to with all the piles of autumn leaves that I sweep up from my garden.

One approach is to put them in a post and wire mesh container and let them rot down alone to make leaf mould which is an excellent conditioner, though takes at least a year before it's ready and realistically will be in the spring of the second year after the leaves are swept up in the first place. This also requires a fair amount of space for long-term storage.

You could save them until the following spring / summer and mix them with rich green material such as grass clippings (above).

One tip I heard, though have not tried is to half-fill a large tub with (preferably dry) leaves and then cut them up using a strimmer. This would help to break them down more quickly whatever you then did with them subsequently.

5/ To collect or not to collect?

A mower may or may not come with a grass collection box, if it does, it is also possible to run the mower without collecting the grass.

If you do collect the clippings while mowing, the lawn will look neater and cleaner afterwards and you won’t have clippings sticking to your shoes and dropping off in the house. You will of course have to dispose of the clippings somehow.

Alternatively mow the lawn without a collection box and the grass cuttings end up on the lawn. Not as tidy, but at least you don’t have to deal with them. They soon dry up, especially in the summer and especially if you are mowing fairly frequently so that the grass is not very long. So even if your mower doesn’t have grass collection, you don’t need top rake up all of the clippings.

This has the extra advantage that the nutrients in the grass clippings are re-cycled into the turf rather than being taken away and lost to the lawn.

Another solution is a mulching mower. This drops the cuttings, but before this the blades cut them up extra finely before being blown down into the lawn. No clippings to deal with, nutrients are recycled and a neat and tidy finish. Currently, these are somewhat more expensive than the non-mulching equivalent.

Having said all of that........... if you really want the finest quality lawn, then you will have to collect the clippings so as not to spread weed seeds or allow moss and thatch to build up. If you collect, you will have to feed.

Other things to consider

A power-driven model may not be suitable for someone who can only walk slowly, unless it has reliable variable speed control.

Petrol-driven mowers with recoil starters can be awkward to start for someone with weak arms or poor balance. Choose an electric start mower instead.

A light, easily-controlled hover mower can, with practice, be mastered by a wheelchair user, provided they have sufficient strength in upper body and arms, and manage the cable carefully.

A heavy machine that is stable and has a steady slow speed may be useful for someone who needs the extra walking support during mowing.

If you have a weak grip, take care that hand controls are easy to operate and there is an emergency stop button.


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Compost

There is no doubt that composting is the heart of modern organic gardening. Though I value the books and other tools I inherited from my grandfather, the most important thing I got from him when he retired was his compost pile. For, while you can buy books or tools, compost must be made. The new gardeners among you may not yet fully appreciate this truth; the old hands certainly will.

Composting is a form of recycling. The harvest from many plants is only a small bit of its bulk. We eat practically the whole lettuce plant, but with corn, for example, the ear that we eat represents only about 10 percent of the plant; by composting its stalk we return the remaining 90 percent of its nutrients to the garden. Seen in this way it is not so surprising that composting would build long-term fertility into any soil, since its nutrient "savings account" is being constantly added to.

This is aside from the cash and resource savings that a compost pile represents. Earlier, I alluded to the energy cost of synthetic fertilizers. Almost 2 percent of the natural gas consumed in this country is used to manufacture nitrogen fertilizers; there is the equivalent of one-third to one-half gallon of gasoline in every pound of nitrogen fertilizer in terms of the energy consumed. That energy is nonrenewable; once burned, it is gone, and not only unavailable for our further use, but a pollutant that fouls the atmosphere.

What is most wasteful about manufactured fertilizers, though, is that one-third to one-half of the nitrogen and one-fifth of the potassium and phosphorus in them is washed away into our streams, ponds, and groundwater aquifers before plants can use it. There, these nutrients are no longer an asset, but another pollutant that someday must be removed. In fact, nitrate pollution of water supplies is already becoming a serious problem nationwide. Before blaming this entirely on the farmers, consider the aggregate impact of 50,000 suburban homeowners-each dosing his or her parcel of lawn with a combination fertilizer and herbicide-on the underground water supply of even a small city. When you think what happens to a gentle spring rain percolating down through the soils of that average community, it is no surprise that bottled water sells so well! The energy of a compost pile-the bacterial energy of decomposition, which takes refuse that would otherwise end up clogging the community landfill, and turns it into free fertilizer-is not just renewable, but constantly going on all around us in a never-ending cycle of decay and rebirth. The essence of the organic method is to tap into those natural cycles and let them do the work for us. Because of this, as well as for its obvious material benefits, composting is central to organic gardening.

The more diverse the ingredients that go into a compost pile, the more nutritionally balanced the finished product will be. One of the great advantages of compost over purchased fertilizers is that it's loaded with concentrated micronutrients. When you shred and then compost the leaves of a shade tree, you are bringing to your garden nutrients collected by that tree from a much greater depth than the vegetables you grow could ever reach. When you compost the household food waste produced in your kitchen you are collecting nutrients that are, literally, from all over the world. And once you've brought those nutrients into your garden, composting keeps them there. Keep in mind that this means you should never put anything on your compost pile that has been treated with pesticides. Storebought produce may not represent much of a threat to the community of microorganisms that devour it, but grass clippings from a golf course or park recently treated with pesticides can wreak havoc with your composting operation, so it is best to avoid such materials entirely.

Compost, with its broad range of nutrients. but low apparent "analysis"-that is, the official N-P-K listing, which indicates the immediately available nutrients-is a stable, slow-release fertilizer whose nutrients will not easily wash out. In laboratory experiments, a highly composted soil sample can be drenched with up to seven times its weight in water spread over a dozen washings that mimic ample summer rains, without losing a significant amount of its mineral nutrients. The nutrients in a fertile, friable soil are so tightly bound to the complex soil particle structure that they are released primarily through the chemical transfers initiated by plant roots, not simply dissolved in water and washed away. The standard analysis does not pick them up because they aren't there in the form that the tests are looking for; they don't become "available" until the acids and enzymes secreted by plant roots and by the multitude of soil microorganisms make them available, on an as-needed basis.

So while the advocates of quick-acting soluble fertilizers may be technically correct (in the narrowest sense) when they say that plants can't tell where a given amount of nutrient came from, they miss the point. The efficiency of slow-release, recycled nutrients is simply better, more varied and balanced, and less prone to causing problems than the packaged product. The nutrients are available over a longer period, to be taken up at the plants' will, without the danger or possibility of overdose, or creation of pollution problems elsewhere. Over time this balanced storehouse of both macro- and micronutrients increases. Of course, organic materials can create problems if used improperly: the runoff from fresh manure, unwisely spread on fields that will not be promptly plowed, can wash into ponds and rivers, polluting them just as quickly and surely as a synthetic fertilizer. Proper materials are only part of the organic method; proper handling of those materials demands equal attention.

Not even the most devoted adherent of bagged fertilizer will claim that it improves soil structure, but compost helps make cold, soggy soils like ours warmer and drier, and yet will help make sandy and gravelly soils more drought-resistant as well, bringing each soil extreme toward that middle ground that most plants favor: a loose, loamy soil with a neutral pH. It does this by improving what is called the "crumb structure" of the soil. A fertile, friable soil somewhat resembles moist gingerbread. The addition of compost builds this kind of soil not only through its own physical properties, but by the soil life it includes. Tiny, colorless fungi, responsible for the initial stages of decomposition in a compost pile, not only bind soils with their far-reaching, threadlike bodies, but produce elements that bacteria then turn into a kind of glue that causes loose soil particles to clump together into "aggregates." Many species of soil fungi in this community also directly help plant roots gather food, in exchange for plant foods they are unable to produce for themselves.


Compost the Weleda way
Michael Bate, Head Gardener, Weleda UK

If there is one thing everybody who works in the Weleda gardens loves doing, it's making compost. It is a wonderful experience, seeing the compost heap grow and then watching the original fresh matter change into a lovely fibrous material that will add to the structure and fertility of the soil.

We use a variety of ingredients: grass cuttings; cut green manures like comfrey, buckwheat, annual lupins and Phacelia tanacetifolia with its mauve flowers that attract hundreds of insects, particularly encouraging those that catch aphids; tincture pressings - what is left after processing the plants we grow for medicines - which are ideal for compost because they are finely chopped; weeds before seeding; cow manure in rough proportion of 1:3 with any green material. Nettles are added: they act to get the heap going, and a seaweed meal can be sprinkled on every so often. But it is essential to add an occasional dusting of lime (kept away from the manure) which acts to balance the acidity of the heap.

We make our heaps up to 12 feet long and 5 feet wide, to a height of 4 feet, adding the different ingredients in layers. The art of making fine compost is to ensure the different elements -earth, water, air and warmth - are properly balanced. The heap should not be too wet, nor too dry, not compacted nor too loose. Biodynamic growers follow Rudolf Steiner's suggestion that the addition of small amounts of 6 preparations greatly enhances the breakdown of the compost and increases the benefits when it is spread on the soil. A small amount of each preparation is placed in the middle of the heap in separate amounts:
* Yarrow flowers (preparation 502) - which aid nitrogen and potassium processes in the soil
* Chamomile flowers (503) - which aid calcium processes and stabilise nitrogen in compost
* Stinging nettle (504) - a sensitiser, to enable compost and soil to attune to the crop grown
* Oak bark (505) - a preventative to combat all plant diseases that are due to too much growth
* Dandelion flowers (506) - which act to sensitise plants to the surrounding environment
* Juice from pressed valerian flowers (5 07) which regulates phosphorus and temperature processes, and surrounds the heap with a protective blanket of warmth, is added to the finished heap. A capful of juice is stirred into a couple of gallons of warm water for 10 minutes, then sprayed over the heap.

Finally, the heap is covered with straw or hessian to protect the compost from excessive rain. To ensure thorough decomposition, the heap is remade after three weeks or so, and the outside turned to the inside. The resulting compost is ready within six months. It is best to use only very well-rotted compost/manure for seedlings and growing plants, otherwise there is a risk of fungal problems. The new substances and humus have been formed through a living process of metamorphosis, and bring these life forces with them to re-invigorate the soil and plants.


Compost-enhancing preparations.

Preparations approved by the Biodynamic Agriculture Association are available for home gardeners from Paul van Midden, Crannoch Ree, Kingtcausie Estate, Maryculter, Aberdeen A81 2 5FR, telephone 01224 733778.

Making a Worm Composter

To start your own worm bin, you'll need an aerated container, bedding (such as shredded newspaper), a moist and temperate environment, a small amount of soil, and, of course, some worms.

Choosing a home
The container can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. You can purchase a fully equipped bin, such as the Worm Lab (at left), or convert a plastic dishpan or 5-gallon bucket to a worm home. Worms need only about 8 to 12 inches of depth to move around in.

To make your own bin, drill 8 to 15 drainage holes in the bottom of the container, depending on its size. Many worm farmers also drill holes in the side near the top edge to further enable air flow. (Some believe that holes 1/4-inch in diameter or less will deter fruit flies from entering.) You'll also need a lid — made of wood, rubber, hard plastic, or a black plastic sheet — to maintain darkness and moisture.

Raise the bin on bricks or blocks and place a tray underneath to gather excess liquid. Your bin size will affect how much food the worms can process per week. Allow one square-foot of surface area per pound of scraps per week.

HINT: If you use a clear plastic container, cover it with a dark cloth because worms don't like light. However, this is a fun way for kids to observe the worms. As you take off the cloth, you will usually see many worms against the side of the container. They will dart into the depths of the soil when the cover is removed.

Adding creature comforts
Fill your worm bin three-quarters full with damp bedding material, such as shredded newspaper (1-inch strips), dead leaves, or coconut fiber (coir). This is where you'll bury food waste. Adding a handful or two of good garden soil or mulch from the soil surface will provide the grit that worms need to digest food, as well as microbes that help break down organic matter. Bedding materials should be moist, but not wet: about like a wrung-out sponge. If using newspaper, dunk the strips in water and let them drain for just a few minutes before filling the container about two-thirds full. When necessary use a mister to keep the bedding moist or sprinkle small amounts of water in the bin.

Inviting the guests
Redworms (Eisenia foetida), commonly known as red wigglers or manure worms, are the species most likely to survive in a worm bin. They need lots of organic matter and warmer temperatures than night crawlers or other garden-dwelling earthworms. One pound of worms (approximately 1000) will process 3 to 4 pounds of food scraps per week. You can obtain redworms through our Gardening with Kids online catalog.

What's for dinner?
Worms can "eat" approximately their own weight in food scraps every day. Keep it vegetarian, providing vegetable and fruit scraps, pulverized egg shells (for calcium), spoiled food, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Avoid meats, dairy products, and oily foods, which can create foul odors and attract flies and rodents.

Indoors or out?
Locate worm bins inside or outside. In either case, temperatures should remain between 40 and 80 degrees F. If bins are outdoors, shelter from hot sun and heavy rain.

Tending the bin
Have your young worm caretakers feed the worms slowly at first, gauging whether the food balance and moisture content seem adequate or need to be adjusted. A popular strategy is to divide your bin into 5 to 7 sections, then bury the food in a different section of the bedding each week. The worms will follow their nourishment around the bin.

Removing the Castings
After two to three months, when most of the food and bedding have been transformed into dark, rich compost, it's time to remove the worm castings (finished compost) because excess castings are poisonous to the worms. One method is to move the castings to one side of the bin, then place fresh bedding and food waste in the other side and let the worms migrate naturally, over time, to the fresh food and bedding. You can also dump the entire bin contents onto a plastic sheet and shine a bright light on the pile. The worms will migrate to the bottom to get away from the light, and (with gloved hands) your kids can then scoop the castings into a bucket. Then prepare new bedding and return the worms to the bin, where they'll start all over on a new batch of compost.

Question and Answer

Overcoming Worm Phobia
Q. I find worms repulsive and worry about passing this feeling along to my children. What can I do?

A. One approach is to be frank about your aversion while explaining why it is somewhat irrational: After all, the worms can't hurt you, and they move so slowly they can hardly startle you. Your children may think your aversion is funny, or they may feel exactly the same way you do. If you have a child who is comfortable with handling worms, s/he could be in charge of separating out the worms when removing the worm castings. The rest of the time, there's no need to touch the worms. You might also consider wearing gloves or gently using a tool of some sort (chopsticks are useful) when handling the worms. After a while, your distaste will probably diminish as you become more accustomed to working with them. You might make it a family goal to have everyone be able to touch a worm.

Runaway Worms
Q. When I told my daughter's teacher that we were going to start a home worm bin, she cautioned me to reconsider. She tried it with a previous class, but the worms escaped from the bin and died. It was very difficult for the kids to see their worms dead on the floor! Why would this happen, and how can we keep it from happening?

A. Sometimes worms will escape if conditions in the bin aren't hospitable (e.g., too wet/dry, too hot/cold). Worms that are introduced to a brand new bin will run away if there isn't enough microbial activity in the bin. Microbes break down organic matter to the point where worms can feast on it. This is why it's so important to add a bit of yard or garden soil, fallen leaves, compost, mulch, or other organic matter that's had contact with soil outside, to the bedding. If your experience at home is a good one, your daughter could become the "worm ambassador" who introduces vermicomposting to her class!