Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
About Compost:
In a nutshell, compost is the term used for organic matter that has been decomposed (rotted)
and recycled as a soil conditioner, to improve crop growth performance.
Thisissomethingthatyoumustthinkaboutlongbeforeyouneedthecompost,inmostcases
a year at least. Your SFG needs compost that is well rotted and crumbly to the feel. If it is
still smelly then it is not ready for the garden yet.
The process of making your own compost is simple enough, as it is basically a load of or-
ganicmaterialsuchasvegetabletrimmings,grasscuttings,fallenleavesetc,thataredumped
into a bin or wooden framework and left to decompose in a process that can take months or
even years. That's the simple answer; however there are certain things that you
should not
add
to a compost heap such as..
•
Inorganic material:
Plastic and polythene will not break down to form
compost. Obvious I know, but it had to be said!
•
Pet Poop:
Never add dog or cat droppings to the compost heap, as this
can add several disease organisms that can turn your compost toxic.
•
Fish, fats, meat, bones and dairy
:Theseshouldnotbeaddedastheycan
just attract vermin, and cause your compost to smell badly.
•
Coal ash
: timber ash is fine for compost as it adds valuable potash, but
coal ash is not as it can add high levels of sulphur to your compost.
•
Coloured paper
:Colouredpapercancontainheavymetalsandothertox-
ic materials. These should not be added to your compost.
•
Diseased plants
: Any diseased or infested plants that you have to lift up
should be burned or otherwise disposed of. Do not add to the compost as
they will most likely end up back in your garden to repeat the cycle all
over again!
Compost Mixes:
Therearemanydifferentmixesofcompostthatwillsuitcertainplantsmorethanothers,and
this is great if you are specializing in a specific area like growing giant pumpkins! However
if you have a source of well-rotted manure, then this is ideal for crops such as tomatoes,
beans,peas,leeks-infactjustaboutanything,asrottedmanureisagreatsourceofnitrogen
which every plant needs in different quantities.
There are certain plants that also make valuable additions to the compost heap such as
nettles, which speed up decomposition and add valuable nitrogen, or comfrey, which is a
