Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
than something like granite. Quartz contributes less value to the pile and can inhibit prop-
er humus formation.
If you've determined from a soil test that you need certain nutrients in your soil, it's
great if you can first add them to your compost. Products such as calcitic lime and soft
rock phosphate will bind with the organic matter, just like the rock dust. In fact, even
without a soil test, it would be entirely appropriate to add five pounds of calcitic lime per
yard of raw materials when building the compost, as it is so crucial to the microbes in the
pile. Alternatively, five pounds of gypsum works well to get things moving, perhaps be-
cause of the sulfur. Otherwise, don't indiscriminately add mineral fertilizers because we
may not want the nutrients contained therein. Urine, on the other hand, is exceptionally
good for the compost, admittedly a bit easier for guys.
Penergetic is a homeopathic product that helps stabilize the composting process and
bind nutrients. It's easiest to mix it in water and apply it that way. It can be mixed with the
EM previously mentioned, but doesn't always go through a sprayer all that well. Along
the same lines, I have used a series of preparations from the biodynamic world. More on
these soon, too.
