III. COMPOST

Compost is made of carbon crops/weeds and other materials found naturally on a mixed farm. A sustainable garden grows plenty of carbon crops whose waste (ie. corn stalks) will regenerate into the compost. Some farmers grow a bed of particularly rich crops, just for compost.

Advantages of Compost:

Soil Structure: Bacteria that feed on organic matter temporarily hold the soil together, improving the health and structure of the soil
Water Absorption: Compost holds 6 times its weight in water- the addition of compost to the soil cuts water consumption by as much as 75% per pound of food produced
Soil Health: Improved soil structure increases workability and resistance to erosion
Increases Nutrition of Crops: Organic acids in compost help dissolve minerals in the soil, making mineral nutrients more available to crops - more nutritious soil = more nutritious food
Increases Water and Nutrient Uptake of Roots: Organic acids also increase the permeability of root membranes, increasing the uptake of water and nutrients by roots
Disease and Pest Resistance: Well nourished and hydrated crops naturally resist pests and disease
Free: all materials needed to successfully ‘grow’ compost are readily available on most small farms- compost is reliable and essentially free of cost

Materials for Building Compost:

1.Course materials- sticks, twigs, maize stalks, etc , to lay a foundation and provide drainage
2.Browns - dry grass, leaves, weeds, hay, etc. that have already been breaking down for a while
3.Greens - recently cut weeds, tree leaves, green plant materials, etc.- also kitchen scraps
4.Wood ash
5.Manure or slurry from bio-gas pit. Quality of animal manure, richest to least rich, is as follows: chicken, pig or rabbit, sheep or goat, horse, cattle. Use the best manure you can find, but any type will do
6.Top soil
7.Water

The important thing is to build your compost pile as the materials become available, without worrying too much about the details at the beginning. As you practice making compost and your garden produces more and more material for you to use, you will improve your technique.

The three critical elements in building compost are:
1.Have enough air in the pile
2.Use as many different compost materials as you can
3.Keep the compost moist enough

Materials NOT to add to a Compost Pile:

Plants infected with a disease or a severe insect attack where eggs could be preserved or where the insects themselves could survive in spite of the compost pile's heat
Poisonous plants, such as oleander, hemlock, or castor bean
Plants which have acids that are toxic to other plants and microbial life such as acacia, juniper, and eucalyptus
Plants that may be too acidic (However, special compost piles can be created using acidic materials to raise the pH level in soils that do not have enough acid.)
Invasive weeds such as wild morning glory, couch grass, bermuda grass, and/or black jack - these weeds may not breakdown in the pile and then when you spread the compost on your soil, you may be spreading their seeds as well
Manure from cats and dogs, both of which contain pathogens and are toxic


Building a Compost Pile:

Preparing the land:
1.Select a shady place, not far from the garden and water source
-if no natural shade, build a shelter or cover with mulch, burlap, etc to protect from the sun
2.Measure area- 1.5 by 1.5 meters is ideal - if pile is smaller it won’t generate enough heat to for good decomposition - very big piles take longer to decompose
3.Clear leaves, weeds and other debris until you can see the soil
4.Loosen soil 12 inches deep using a fork or jembe, for water absorption

Building the Pile:
Chop materials into small pieces, to facilitate decomposition
1.Lay course materials 5 -10 cm high
2.Lay browns 5 – 10 cm high.
3.Add green materials and food scraps 5 – 10 cm high.
4.Sprinkle wood ash about 1 – 1 ½ kg
5.Add manure about 2-3 cm high
6.Add top soil 2-3 cm high.
7.Water the pile with 20 liters or more -enough water to dampen, not soak, the pile
-pile should be like a sponge that has been squeezed
8.Repeat steps 1 - 7 until pile reaches a height of 3-5 ft. (1-1.5 meters)

Protecting and Monitoring the Pile:
1.Cover the top of the pile with extra soil to maintain the moisture in the pile. A light layer of straw on top of the soil during the rainy season keeps out excess moisture and prevents the pile from becoming soggy
2.Put a stick of about 2 ½ m in the middle of the pile to act as a thermometer - when the end of the indicator is too hot to touch then the compost is cooking correctly; when it starts to cool the decomposition process has slowed, so this is the right time for turning the pile
3.Water the pile as needed to keep it moist - check the moisture in the middle of the pile from time to time—it is easy to either underwater or over water the pile
4.Once you’ve got your compost pile don’t sit on it - the pile needs to breathe and aerate well, so must be free of compaction


(This picture shows compost building, though it lacks the wood ash and top-soil layers.)
Turning the Pile:

The pile can be turned after two to three weeks. No new material should be added during turning except water or top soil. Turning speeds up decomposition.

The purpose of turning is to ensure even decomposition of a pile. In turning, make sure the top becomes the bottom of the pile and the inside becomes the outside. This is because the decomposition at the bottom and outside goes slower then at the top and inside.

A good tool to use is a pitchfork, since it is lighter than a spading fork and is shaped to allow easy turning of the material. Start by loosening the soil in an area about one half to two thirds the original area (since the pile has shrunk), and add a layer of rough materials at the bottom. Move the materials from the original pile to the new pile, bringing the drier materials to the inside. Add water as you go, if necessary, to be sure that the turned pile is evenly moist.

Storage:

Once the pile you have built has completely broken down, you will be left with compost that looks like loose, dark, rich soil. Now you simply spread a thin layer of it on your crops and everything will be healthier. If not immediately used, cured compost must be stored properly to avoid continued decomposition. Continued decomposition will lead to a pile that is devoid of nutrients.
To Store:
1.Spread the cured compost pile out to about three inches thick; let the pile dry for two days.
2.Bag the dried compost (compost won’t be completely dry) or repile and store in a shaded, protected place. Stored compost will stay for one year.

Using Your Compost:

The best time to put compost in your growing beds is in the spring, just before transplanting the seedlings for the major growing season. As a general rule, you can spread ½ inch of cured compost over the surface of the bed. This comes to approximately six 5-gallon buckets per 100-square-foot bed. Then work it evenly into the top 2 inches of the soil. One application of compost per 4-month growing season is adequate.

Records:

To keep track of your compost piles you can use a simple chart like the following:

COMPOST RECORDS

Pile #
Date Constructed
Date Turned
Date Spread Out
Date Stored
Amount Stored