Composting Methods for the Organic Garden
There are three kinds of composting techniques that may be used by the Organic Gardener.
1. Hot Composting. This is a fast way to create nutrient rich soil and the compost is ready in less than eight weeks. However, the gardener needs to turn the pile every few days so it takes more labor than other methods. The whole pile is put together at once, watered , and covered. After a few days the temperature in the center will reach 150 degrees allowing heat-loving bacteria to decompose the pile. The pile is then turned to allow the bacteria access to the other part of the pile and this continues until the pile cools down and the compost is ready to use.
2. Cold Composting. This composting technique may take from six months to over a year to yield compost. The pile never gets really hot and many disease organisms and weed seeds may survive along with beneficial organisms. The organic gardener can add to the pile continuously and it does not need to be turned so labor is less intensive. The compost pile needs to be poked occasionally to provide sufficient air and it needs to be watered. Gardeners may start two piles and when the organic matter is ready in one pile they may move the top of the pile to the other compost spot and use the soil at the bottom that is ready to be worked into the garden.
3. Sheet Composting. The gardener puts organic waste directly into the soil by burying or tilling and the waste decomposes below ground. This recycles organic material but the technique may lead to nitrogen deficiencies as the decomposition is less even. Another way of using sheet composting is tilling under a cover crop or spreading animal manure in the soil.
All three methods can produce rich humus for the Organic Garden.
Visit www.organicgreenspot.com to find and easier method for organic composting.
Working with a Compost Tumbler
