Now gardeners and truck farmers are eager to returnto organic farming. Many people are attracted by the main principle of this technology - the natural fertility of the soil, supported by organic fertilizers and compost.
Warm and damp
A compost box is installed in the remote partgarden and preferably in the penumbra. The pile is a living bioreactor. The main conditions for the course of biochemical reactions are heat and moisture. Hence the first requirement: the compost pile should be sheltered. If it is laid entirely, as a covering material you can use soil, dry grass or leaves. If the organic mass accumulates gradually, the best option is a black polyethylene film.
Size matters
Compost bintemperature and humidity conditions, the size of the compost heap is very important. Its width and height should be 1.2–1.5 m, length - at least 1.5 m. If the size is smaller, the pile will give off moisture, dry out and not warm up enough. In addition, without the required degree of heating, the process is slower, although the product in the end is quite high-quality. Conversely, too large a pile will overheat, and a high one will destroy microorganisms. The compost bin does not seem to attract attention to itself, does not require special care. It lies quietly and matures ... Many people think so. And they are wrong. The maturation of compost is fastest in the summer months, when the microflora is "working" in full force. All transformations of organic matter occur under the influence of micro and macroorganisms: multiplying intensively, releasing energy and products of their vital activity, they drive and accelerate all biochemical processes. The compost heap is a kind of incubator for soil flora and fauna. And mature compost is not only a fertilizer, but also a carrier of the vitality of the soil.
Invisible people
Where are the invisible compost heapstoilers and micro-organisms? Its location is important here. Earth - the habitat of earthworms and other organisms involved in the composting process. Where you plan to place a compost heap, the land must be alive and supply "workers". If the compost is laid on scorched, poisoned by chemicals, then it will ripen very long. To accelerate the process, a freshly composted pile can be populated with microflora with the help of biological preparations - concentrates of soil microorganisms, and high-quality compost ripens in one season (in natural conditions the process lasts 2-3 years). Bioconcentrates for compost are produced under different trade marks - "Baikal", "Revival".
What to put
The more diverse the organic waste, theCompost will become more valuable. It will be richer not only with mineral elements - the quality of humus will also change for the better. A prerequisite is the correct ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the composted feedstock. Carbon is the necessary building block for organic molecules. It is supplied by any plants, but especially a lot of carbon in lignified parts and wastes (sawdust, straw, small branches, stems). Nitrogen-containing components are food for microorganisms. The source of nitrogen is fresh manure, chicken manure, bone meal, mown grass, pea and bean stems. In order to compost the process, it is necessary that 10-20 parts of carbon per 1 part of nitrogen in the organic mass. If this ratio is violated, the excess component will be removed as simple substances (ammonia or carbon dioxide). In addition to the organic constituents, mineral additives, such as dolomite flour (a deoxidizer and a source of calcium and magnesium), superphosphate (a source of phosphorus) and complex mineral fertilizer, need to be added to the future compost. These components are much better absorbed when they are passed through the compost, and not introduced into the soil. Compost pile - not a dump and not a trash can. Do not send sick or infected plants to the compost, weeds with ripened seeds. But the quality of compost will improve, if it is added so-called biodynamic (promoting accelerated formation of humus) plants - valerian, nettle, dandelion, chamomile, yarrow. It is not difficult to determine whether compost is ready. A loose, uniform material of a dark brown color with the smell of forest land is what he is.
Leaf fall
A system of two compost boxes A special article -compost of fallen leaves, or, as it is often and not quite rightly called, - leafy earth. Leaves before falling give away mineral elements, which move into branches and roots. In the leaves remain only the hardly decomposable organic matter - hemicellulose and lignin. But they are just "semi-finished products" of stable humus - a carrier of fertility. In the fallen leaves contain very difficult to decompose substances - tannins. Especially a lot of them in the leaves of beech and oak, very much - in the foliage of chestnut, willow and plane tree. Tannins have an astringent-disinfectant effect, so the foliage of these tree species decomposes slowly, it can only be used to cover the heap. Compost of fallen leaves ripens on average for two years. It significantly improves soil structure and water retention capacity. Such compost is especially good on sandy and heavy clay soils. Nutrient substances in it are not many, however, together with sheet compost, a specific flora enters the soil - microgrubs, which are able to decompose lignin and hemicellulose. This is important for garden plants, whose roots live in symbiosis with microfungi, for example for heather. Drawings: Anastasia Besedina
