Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
many ways of composting, each with its own trade-offs,
nature will ultimately have its way and organic materials will
rot with or without your help. The end product will be
compost. So the most important thing you need to do when
approaching composting is to not worry.
In the chapters ahead I'll take you through the nutrient cycle,
explain the role of compost in soil microbiology and plant
health, and delve into the various methods of composting.
Even though I will stress a lot of points as being important, if
you keep coming back to the fundamental concept that
organic materials will all eventually turn into compost with or
without your help, you'll realize that you can just dig right in
and your end results will be a tremendous benefit no matter
what.
Nearly all topics that cover compost concentrate only on
aerobic composting with a special emphasis on thermophilic
composting. But this is not, in my opinion, enough to make
someone self-sufficient. For example, maybe you have
noticed that you need compost for soil blocks when you are
starting your onion seedlings in January, but your outdoor
compost pile is going to be frozen until April so it won't do
you any good. Or maybe you have a back or leg injury, and
turning a two-ton thermophilic aerobic compost pile is simply
not feasible.
Because nature is on your side, there are a lot of different
ways to create compost, and all that is really necessary is an
underlying understanding of the nature of the processes at
work and an eye toward safety to adapt numerous methods to
your situation. I personally use many methods both indoors
and outdoors, and this topic will help you do the same.
