How to start a compost pile
From:
Jeanette Hart
Date:
May 08 05:06 UTC
Short link
I have a question for any who might have some ideas...we live rurally and
cannot recycle our waste (paper, etc). So we began an experiement,
composting all our paper waste (minus the plastic windows, etc) with animal
manure. This involves layers of materials, water, heat, and time. Has any
one else tried to do this? Any suggestions?
thx
jenn hart-mann
On Wed, May 7, 2008 at 11:45 AM, Jack Rowe <jackrowe@tinyorb.net> wrote:
> Hi Robert,
>
> Rock Phosphate and gypsum both come from organic gardening stores, usually
> Payne's in SF has them both, also the one on Ruffina whose name is escaping
> me... a first application of gypsum might be 10 to 40 pounds per 100 sq ft
> (I'd make that decision on how long I'd been gardening in the spot and
> whether I was using city water, well water or rainwater... point being salt
> buildup, with well water being saltiest and rainwater least... the gypsum
> acts to counteract the effects of the salt, which in this context are
> basically to pull water away from roots because the salt is hydrophilic...
> salt is the Southwest gardener's worst enemy, especially over the medium to
> long terms). If you've been using groundwater and gardening in the same spot
> for 5 or more years, you should be able to see a visible difference between
> watering with groundwater and rainwater (in how much the plants perk up).
>
> Rock phosphate you can add at maybe a cup or two per 100 sq ft, couple
> cups if first time and less subsequently. Bone meal would act similarly, but
> is more expensive usually and not as long-lasting (on the other hand,
> quicker to become soluble if a first application). Too much rock phosphate
> will raise pH too high and render itself (and some other nutrients)
> insoluble. Good organic matter will lessen/buffer this effect.
>
> Wood ashes should also be used sparingly (same reason, easy to raise pH
> excessively) and mostly supply potassium which isn't usually much of a
> problem anyway, I'd do a cup or two/100 sq ft.
>
>
> Jack Rowe
> Sapello
> Info about Jack Rowe: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/jackrowe
>
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