when can I use my compost?
Can anyone tell me when it is okay to use my compost? I want to start a pile now but I know that it takes a while for it to decompose. However, I want to start planting my vegetable garden now. Can I plant my garden now and then when my compost is done decomposing, add the compost to my garden/soil later on? Or do I have to wait until my compost pile is done and then start to plant my garden? I hope this question makes sense. About how long does it take for compost to decompose?
Thanks for your help :)
Answers:
plant now- compost later. you can always add compost and work it into the soil later- its a better idea to do that anyway. and to get your compost cooking quickly- pour some beer onto it- and turn daily.
Other answers:
A small pile only takes about 2 weeks if done properly. Go ahead and start your garden and add your compost when it's ready. Be sure to mix it in well, with a claw or rake.
A small pile only takes about 2 weeks if done properly. Go ahead and start your garden and add your compost when it's ready. Be sure to mix it in well, with a claw or rake.
compost has nearly been broken down to a science... you can make it complicated...or not... i prefer not... so this is how it goes... generally depending on what your composting it would take at least 3-6 months for compost to complete its cycle... you can start composting now but just don't use it until it looks like nothing you put in there and doesn't smell like anything but dirt...
a compost heap will have topsoil after 6 months or so a lot depends on you weather and humidity you can speedn it up by
adding red earthworms and turning the compost with a fork to avoiud killing the worms or by adding lime and always keepit covered with leaves or .sand or plastic to enhance the humidity(check info on worm,or lombriculture)
the compost will accomodate anything organic,paper,eggshells,bones wet branches tec,
MULCH
what you can do imediatly is to cover the ground with mulch which is the same principal as compost but it includes the whole garden surface
the top part of the soil where the topsoil is being produced houses a world or microbiotic life.
Mulch is organic material green or dry that covers the ground,the thicker the better the composting process will turn it in to black topsoil
the humidity is preserved underneath and promotes the devellopment of worms(their exists no better compost than their excrements)and a variety of micro biotic life which together with the mulch produce more topsoil.
the mulch also keeps the ground temperature even and guards against the impact of the rain ,which would other wise brings salt to the surfave if on unprotected land
Mulch also prevents the soil from drying out because of the sun and, lay it open to wind erosian.
FERTILISER
only use manures and animal urine to fertilise,one can plant plants for mulch on the edges of vegetable plots to be chopped down for green mulch
PEST CONTROL
many weeds have natural properties that are good for insect repellents
another priceless pest control is the silky and bantum chickens which dont rake the ground but only run and eat 70% of all walking and jumping insects and they also leave quit a lot of manure behind ,if you have enough of them
guiny fowel and partridge will do almost the same job
snakes kill rats.iguanas eat a variety of pests
HUMIDITY
One should always shape the land inicially and make it bowel shaped (if small)terassed if on a slope with an edge around it so that it becomes receptive as aposed to repellent of the water that falls on it and to prevent erosion.
if on the flats it should be self draining.but with cannals also bringing water flows into the land from higher up.
I have connected cannals to road gutters to bring more water in.
soil management should be a component of a larger concept
which includes ,waterharvesting (to zero run off)and form
as well as pest control and diversity of plants.
so you dont have to wait for compost to be ready ,first shape the garden ,i always start by making all the garden paths the resulting design gives me the individual plots.
then dig the drainage cannals and put in your irrigation systems
then devellop the individual plots one by one ,put in the plants and as you leave ,cover the ground with a mulch ,so that nowhere the bare soil can be seen .
the compost is another story ,use that to accomodate any organic rubbish you got and after a year or more you got some aditional black soil to use,
i got a compost heap that has been going for 5 years ,tons of cuttings from the garden including coconut palm leaves and bits of trees ,does not seem to get bigger and i still havent got around to using it.
make your compost heap on top of a bowel shaped hole so that the centre is wet and it will consume just about everything.and have it in the shade ,under a tree or put a little roof on it
this is where i am coming from-- Permaculture
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