Composting is a natural and simple process and yet it has been complicated by machines, fallacies, misinformation, myths, and misunderstandings that came out due to erroneous publications and aggressive commercial marketing approaches. Some of these misinformed facts have been passed around so many times that the general perception has become truth. An example would be the seemingly accepted fact that all compost smells. But before we go into that, lets discuss some other composting myths first.

Myth: Composting requires a lot of work

Truth: Composting is a natural process which involves basically the elements of nature doing the job for you. All you need is to gather all the materials, lay it on, and let nature do her job. Composting is a low maintenance activity as well. You only need to turn the compost file every once in a while to keep the air flowing to quicken the decomposition process and thats it. You practically sit and wait for the the compost to finish.

Myth: Composting is limited to farms and wide open spaces

Truth: On the contrary, people living in urban areas who have no luxury for space can create their own composting bin from a trash can. How much space would that take up? Also, there is another technique which you can use, the so-called vermicomposting which involves the use of red worms in a contained bin where you feed them table scraps.

Myth: Composting needs precise measurements

Truth: Even though composting ideally would be best achieved with the right combination of greens and browns elements, having the exact measurements is not that necessary. Estimates work just fine. And those neatly piled up layers of composting piles you see in commercials, books, pamphlets and brochures of composting products, those are all for show. You dont need to copy those, composting works the same way as you pile them up haphazardly.

Myth: You need specially formulated chemicals as starters or activators

Truth: Well, despite the claims of commercially available products that applying them to the compost pile will speed up the process of decomposition, buying them is not really necessary. It is often the practice to just throw in some finished compost into the newly formed compost pile and that itself will serve as the activator to get things started. Theres no need to buy those expensive stuff.

Myth: Adding yeast will boost the composts performance

Truth: This is not true at all. What youre doing is just wasting your money by adding yeast to the compost pile. Yeast does not do anything to the compost pile and neither does it affect the performance quality of the compost.

Myth: Animals are attracted to composting piles

Truth: Yes, this to some degree is true. Composting piles do attract the occasional cat, dog or raccoon. Small critters will likely go for open compost piles and for piles that have kitchen scraps like meat, fat, dairy products, bones and pet manure to the pile.

Myth: Compost smells

Truth: Compost should not smell. If you find bad smelling compost, then the maker did a poor job picking the materials for the compost pile.

Other composting myths exist and it would be best to do your research first before accepting them as truth.

Enjoy your composting

Steve Cownley

http://organic-gardening.net46.net

http://infoblog.net78.net/

A Good Composting Site

The site of your composting activity is the primary consideration and one of the best tools you need to master before you do any composting activity. The place must be free from obstruction and well capable of obtaining the right temperature needed for your composting. Aside from this, you also need to be thoroughly familiar with the site which you chose for composting. In addition, you also need to be able to access the site frequently as composting requires a lot of monitoring on a frequent basis.

Compost Bin

Your compost bin must serve the functions of the particular type of composting you intend to have. If you are up for the industrial level of composting, you may need more than one compost bin to satisfy your objectives. This compost bin needs to be cleaned every once in a while, and must be of the right size depending on the amount of materials you are to put.

Be sure that you are able to manage the compost bin you choose, and for beginners, it is often recommended to start small and then branch out once you get the hang of it or at least get comfortable with what you are working on.

Making Your Uwn Compost Bin

If you intend to make your own compost pile, it would be nice to make an enclosure or compost bin for your convenience and general neatness. There are a number of compost bins commercially available in various garden stores. You can buy it if you have the money or you can do what I did, make your own compost bin. Its not difficult and the materials you need are not that many. You can do it with your eyes closed, or maybe not.

Some commercially available compost bins have their own systems or devices for turning over the compost. Some have harvesting trays or mechanisms for easier harvest. But those things are just add-ons and are made for added convenience for the consumer. You really dont need such stuff. All you need is basic enclosures to keep the compost materials from being scattered around the area.

Possibly the only limitations you have in making your compost bin is the amount of imagination and ingenuity you have. Fortunately, you can look in your storage room or garage and look for suitable materials and most likely you will find some quite suitable ones. They can be made from heavy plastics or wood or tin. Like I said, its just a matter of how you handle the paints to create a masterpiece.

One of my suggestions would be using a wire mesh, a couple of wood planks or even pipes. The idea would be like creating a simple wired fence around your compost pile with the pieces of wooden plans or pipes as support. You can tie the wire mesh to the pipes or planks to make it more secure. The shape is up to you. You can make it round, square, rectangular or even triangle shaped.

Just keep in mind that you will need to have quick access to the compost pile to turn it over at least once each weak. You can create a doorway from the wire mesh or you can make your enclosure in such a way that you can easily lift and put back the whole enclosure.

Also, if you have some left over wooden slats from an old fence or wooden planks from an old shed, Im sure you can assemble a quite sturdy compost bin in your backyard. Just make sure to let the air in by allowing spaces between the wooden boards. This will keep the air flowing inside the compost pile make decomposition quicker. If you have enough loose boards lying around, you can create a dresser-type compost bin complete with a door with hinges for easy access to the compost pile.

You can even fashion one from your garbage can. Look for an old can where you can afford to experiment without being scolded by your wife or your mother later one. What you need to do is punch a couple of holes in your garbage can to allow the air to circulate in the soon composting materials. You just put your composting materials inside the can. Before you cover it, wet the materials inside until they appear damp.

You can turn over or roll it around to let the materials mix while always keeping the compost pile damp. When storing the trashcan compost bin, if would be best to place it above ground. In a month or so, you should be able to get satisfactory results from all your effort.

You see, making your own compost bin is very easy. You just need to consider the following fundamentals: air should flow inside the bin, you should have quick access to the compost pile, and you should be able to wet the pile when needed.

Thermometer

Composting requires you to maintain a specific temperature. So a thermometer may come in handy for you as you do your daily rounds of inspection on your compost pit. You need to make sure that the thermometer is properly calibrated. Some shops also sell thermometer that is tailored to suit the needs of compost owners, so you can also check these out. The specifically tailored thermometers may prove to give a better advantage for you.

Garden Fork

The garden fork has a great variety of uses. In the aspect of composting, it will really help you mix your materials especially if you are dealing with a large composting pit or bin. The garden fork will help you rake in the materials, mix them and test the texture and softness of your compost mix. For a garden rake, you must choose one that is optimum for the size of your composting operations and with a complete manual and warranty so as to maximize its usage.

Other Containers

You will not only need a compost bin, but if you are a sucker for combining and categorizing your materials, you may also need additional containers that can help you manage your compost materials. In cases where you need to monitor your Carbon and Nitrogen ratio components in the mix, you have make sure that you are adding the right type of materials to maintain the right temperature, mix and ratio needed.

Room for Growth

The spatial aspect of composting involves having more room for growth should you decide to pursue higher levels of composting. Your area must be spacious enough to accommodate your present composting needs, but at the same time, it must be able to hold in expansions, should you decide to increase the capacity of your compost pit.

The old "Eeeeeeew!" may well become one of the solutions to environmental problems and lack of nutrition in the soil. Scientists have tested this in the laboratory and have now approved of this new technique to composting: worm composting. Particularly, the red worm variety are the ones capable of doing this new feat.

Finally, they found a new way to make use of worms aside from being the main dish in Fear Factor. Some of us may have goosebumps upon imagining the sight of creepy crawlies-- it truly is more than enough to give any average person the heebie jeebies. But on the up side, they have been known to help cultivate the environment for a long time. It is really no surprise to find that they play a vital role in the whole composting process.

Some of you might think that worm composting is not really such as good idea. But before you banish the idea of those red crawlies helping save the environment, take a break, open your mind and hear out some of the advantages of the now-becoming-popular worm composting technique.

Advantage Number 1: Flexible: Indoors or Outdoors, Take Your Pick

Whether you want to have your worm compost indoors or outdoors, it does not really matter. You can have them on either or on both areas. The good thing is that you won't even have to sweat around too much with your worm compost. They are relatively easy to transport and are non-complaining workers that will till your compost day in and day out, for relatively no charge. You only have to feed them to keep them in top condition.

Advantage Number 2: All it needs is moist bedding

Worms like moisture, and having moisture is one of the easiest components of composting. If you are able to provide the moisture, you only have to wait and see until the worms do their wonders in helping you have more fertilized soil.

Advantage Number 3: Worms are readily available and are not that hard to cultivate.

In some areas, you need not look for worms. You only have to get a jar and focus your eyes while walking in the garden. Sometimes, you need not go out of the house and you can find them sauntering in your bathroom (rich in moisture, remember?). So the good thing is that they will not really resist you if you put them in a cage rich with food.

Advantage Number 4: Aside from the yuck factor, the worms will happily do the work; you only have to regulate them.

You will act more as a worm manager than a laborer, really. After you put on the heap and the worms together, you will do very minimal work for so much positive results. You can also get a lot of support from governments and people worldwide regarding this aspect. In fact, in some American communities, it is already being implemented and widely promoted to have worm composting in the home.

Advantage Number 5: Mobile bins will not affect the worms' performance.

Another thing with the worm composting that other composting techniques don't have is the mobility. You can take it with you anywhere, assuming that you have small scale composting on your sleeve (industrial size worm composting isn't really a lovely idea, anyway).

My No-Dig Veggie Garden

Miles Trench

I have been a passionate organic gardener for over thirty-five years. My first memories are of my fathers fruit orchard in Marden, South Australia, where the deep alluvial loam grew magnificent plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines. In fact, everything we planted grew well. And I fondly recall our early morning trips to the market in the 1970s, the ute loaded up with half-cases full of ripe, juicy fruit ready to sell.

My grandfather had established an extensive market garden in Uraidla, in the Adelaide Hills. He taught my father about using nature to help grow healthy organic produce. And in turn, I learned from my dad. In fact, most green thumbs of the older generation have a wealth of valuable experience and advice to offer if only we take the time to ask. Then I moved to the Yorke Peninsula and found to my dismay that our block has only a very thin layer of topsoil and underneath its solid limestone. So it was with great interest that I began reading Esther Deans book on no-dig gardening. Well, straight away I was hooked. The no-dig system as she explains is a fantastic, eco-friendly method of growing nutritious fresh vegetables at home. Its cheap, easy, no fuss and completely chemical-free (something I have been advocating for a long time.)

There are many benefits and advantages to using a no-dig system; they include:

Any suitable area can be used to house a no-dig grow bed as long as there is enough sun, access to organic material and clean water is available you can even build a no-dig edible garden on top of flat concrete if thats the only space you have available.

(Just be sure that excess water can run off and wont cause problems later on.)

It saves time and effort (and your back! no more bending to work hard ground).

The organic medium in the grow-bed retains its structure and fertility well.

(This is because the organisms in the soil mix [soil biota] are not continually disturbed as they are during traditional in-ground digging and planting methods.

Its simple kids through to the elderly can give it a go, and with great results too!

Its cheap, organic, uses recycled materials and is environmentally friendly.

It reduces water use, insect attack and damage; and weed infestation and competition.

It can be done on a small scale right through to as large as you can manage.

As the organic material breaks downs it creates a soil warming effect.

And finally it really works!

Worms

The gardeners friend, the humble earth worm, is natures underground dynamo.

When you make a no-dig grow-bed without a solid bottom (for example you recycle an old rainwater tank and cut the bottom out), worms in the soil underneath and nearby will then have access. They will work their way up from below, aerating the bed and enriching the soil mix as they go.

Worms:

Drag small particles of organic matter down into the soil.

Deposit worm-castings or vermicast back onto the surface

Vermicast helps enrich the soil through the addition

of micro-elements and plant-friendly bacteria.

Vermicast used au natural or in the form of a weak tea

makes an amazing, eco-friendly and non-toxic natural

fertilizer.



Tunnelling worms aerate the soil

this assists drainage, moisture retention and also provides

access for developing plant roots.

Tunnelling earthworms also leave behind a trail of polysaccharides

(sugars) and plant-friendly bacteria



Worm-farms, are a great way to recycle organic kitchen scraps and

will produce a free, natural, liquid fertilizer at the same time.

Earthworms - Class Oligochaeta Phylum Annelida

How to Build a No-Dig Grow Bed

Materials

1) No-dig bed framework any suitably robust structure strong enough

to contain the soil mix

2) Oaten hay, straw or lucerne

3) Old newspapers

4) Compost and well rotted manure

5) Clean water (to wet down the material as you go)

6) Organic fertilizer (to boost plant growth)

7) A couple of hours to prepare and construct the no-dig bed

8) Seeds or seedlings to plant.

Method

1) Choose a sheltered, sunny site for your no-dig garden bed, away from any large tree roots (if possible). Any form of solid frame can be used, as long as its strong enough to support the soil mix and wont break down in the rain and weather.

Do not set up your no-dig bed directly on top of established kikuyu or thickBuffalo grass or similar, as these grasses thrive on the leached nutrients and

will send runners all through your mix to eventually swamp the whole bed.



Recycled rainwater tanks makegreat no-dig grow beds

Some examples of no-dig frames you might use.

Hay Bales Old wire bed frames Boards

Sleepers Rainwater tanks Bathtubs

Tyres Wooden pallets (cut to size)

Stones piled up/Besser bricks, Galvanised iron



Be inventive - find what you can use - use what you find

2) Once you have picked your spot, erect or construct your no-dig bed framework. Secure

it well with screws or bolts or strong wire/twine to make it strong. You can use hay bales (see below), to get you started on your first attempts at no-dig.

Steps to constructing a hay/straw bale no-dig framework

Set up your bales of hay in a rectangle then loop and tie a supportive ring of strong twine around the shape, to prevent collapse (the coloured plastic cord that binds the hale bales is a good, strong twine).

Knock in some heavy garden stakes around the outside of the frame to provide extra support to the structure (see below). Using stakes tied with twine also provides an ideal trellis for climbing beans, tomatoes or cucumbers.

Next, place a layer of gravel, small rocks, twigs, or similar coarse material as a base to ensure your bed will have good drainage. Make sure this layer is thick enough to smother any ground weeds.I use a layer of broken bricks at the bottom for a no-dig garden bed, with hay bales to form the outside framework.

3) Lay down several sheets of newspaper, a layer of thick cardboard or an old piece of carpet. Wet this down thoroughly. On top of this spread a few handfuls of blood and bone, Dynamic Lifter or a similar (slow release) organic fertilizer.

4) Add the first layer of pea straw or hay (oaten hay is the best), about eight cm (ten inches) thick. Wet this down well also.

5) Add the next layer about twenty cm (eight inches) of manure. Make sure it is well rotted and weed-free (if possible). Water-in well also.

6) Cow manure is good, but any natural animal manure is OK Zoo-Poo is rated highly by some, but make sure any manure you do use is well aged, as fresh stuff will

burn fragile plant roots. On top of the manure add a layer of compost, humus,

or vegetative scraps (like old corn husks, cabbage or lettuce leaves.)

7) Add another layer of lucerne, straw or oaten hay and water in well. To this, add a crust

of powdered dolomite, garden lime, crushed rock or granite dust. These compounds add essential minerals and trace elements to the mix and help stabilize the pH levels (acid vs. alkaline). Soil pH of around 7 (neutral) is generally the best for growing most vegetables.

Add another good, thick layer of aged manure.

9) Top this up with a thick layer, about twenty cm (eight inches) of humus, compost, potting mix or good, clean garden soil. This acts as the base medium to plant your veggies in.

CAREFUL: You can use grass clippings in the layers of your mix, but be careful! Grass clippings should be mixed in with other material (like compost or dry leaves, bits of bark, or small prunings/twigs) to make a combined layer, so that the grass wont form into lumpy mats that will go mouldy, spoil the mix and may also introduce mould and fungus.

Warning:

1) Some horse or livestock manures may contain residual chemicals used in worming, performance or pest control treatment, especially stuff from

pig farms horse studs.

2) Poultry manure (especially pigeon poo) is very high in nitrogen and phosphorus. It must be well broken-down and diluted or combined well with other composted material before using: Never use raw poultry manure as fertilizer on your plants.

Well, thats about it. Of course, this is just one way to construct and prepare a no-dig garden. You can rig-up just about any sturdy framework and fill it with layers of organic material and grow lovely veggies. So if you dont have all the material suggested above,

use what can obtain cheaply and easily and give it a go. The important thing is to have

a weed-free, nutrient-rich soil base that is deep enough for the plants to grow in.

You will also that notice that over time the soil mix in the bed will begin to subside. This is normal. Just keep topping up with organic material to maintain a sufficient depth.

A bed using hay/straw bales for the framework will last a couple of crops. Just recycle the hay or straw and use it as mulch or as part of a new no-dig grow bed. Boxes or large pots can be another easy way to no-dig garden as well. Some people grow potatoes in a ring of old tyres, they just keep adding another tyre on top, filling it with more organic material as the spuds develop and grow. When the tops die off, the spuds below are ready to harvest.

Other materials that can be used in a no-dig bed:





Coconut fibre / coir / comfrey leaves

Sawdust (mix with manure or leaves, compost or similar)

Mushroom compost, shredded seaweed

Rice hulls, Cocoa bean/nut shells, peat



Hint: Mulch around veggie seedlings with seaweed:

It adds vital minerals like iodine to the soil mix.

Q. What if I use an old tub with a bottom and the worms cant get in? Good question

A. Well, worm eggs abound in most good soils, so add a couple of handfuls to your mix and once the moisture and conditions are right, they will soon hatch and grow and begin the industrious machinations we all appreciate and treasure.

But if after a few weeks there is still no sign of worms, make sure once again you have adequate drainage (if its too moist, they will drown) and then go for a dig around the moist parts of your garden or beg, borrow or buy a few from a neighbour or friend

(you can also purchase worm eggs on-line).

And lastly, be aware that there is a difference between the tiger worms used in worm farms, and the usual garden variety found in most soils.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this story of how I created my no-dig garden.

I now have six grow beds in operation some tin, some wooden-framed. This allows me to leave a grow bed fallow (unplanted) or plant a green-manure crop but Ill tell you all about that and also how I achieve non-toxic pest control using companion planting the next time we discuss the fascinating and rewarding adventure we call organic gardening.



Smiles from miles

Miles Trench - Email: milestrench_22@yahoo.com.au

http://au.geocities.com/milestrench_22/milestrenchwebpage.html


About the Author:

Published:

[Expected] - October 2008, Divan 7 Institute of TAFE, Victoria (poem) a moment
August 2008, Warm Earth Organic Gardening (article) My No-Dig Veggie Garden
July 2008, Back Yard Farmer (Earth Garden) (article): Basic No-Dig Gardening
March 2008, Scribble Gum - Highly Commended - (poem) Flores
October 2007, Kerneweck Lowender - Highly Commended A Piece of Paper
December 2006, Writing Right - Poetry Prize
April/May 2006 Grass Roots Magazine (article) Do a Number on Your Garden
May 1999, Grass Roots (article) Marion Bay
June 2002, Thats Life (article) Look What I Can Do!
October 2001, Winner of Across the Valley Short-story award Martins Secret
May 1999 Third Prize International Library of Poetry Winter
November 1998 Nimbin News - Papermaking An Ancient Craft Revisited
April 1998 Australian Business Opportunities Recycling
December 1997, New Age Guardian Papermaking.

Oeuvre to Date:

56 poems, 26 short stories, 1 book, various fragments and many works in progress

Qualifications:

2007 Diploma Professional Writing (external) ARTS SA

Motto Learn, create, explore and believe

Would you like a more natural alternative to using those plastic planter containers? Well, here is a project for you, where you can have an interesting planter during the growing season, then throw the container out in the garden for mulch, without having to add to the world's landfill problems.

These planters can be used and grown anywhere you can provide good plant growing conditions, including on a patio, pathway or even a roof top. The main criteria being enough sunlight for the plants chosen, easy access to water and an ease of access to maintain the planter/s.

Just follow the steps below.

What you will need

One or more rectangular bales of hay, (One per planter).

4 to 8 seedlings or small plants per planter.

One to two good handfuls of soil/compost/potting mix per plant.

Small garden handtools.

Hose/watering can.

Liquid fertilizer.

Area chosen to provide enough light for growing conditions required by plants selected.

Steps

Take one rectangular bale of hay; flip it on its side so that the straps are around the sides not over the top and bottom.

Moisten the hay bale thoroughly with a hose or watering can.

Using the handle of a hand tool, dig four to eight holes in the new upper surface of the hay bale, these holes have to be big enough to hold a good handful of soil.

Into each hole, place a handful or two of compost, soil or potting mix.

Plant up your choice of annuals, herbs or short-lived perennials.

Water the plants in well and fertilize them with a liquid fertilizer.

Because of the air gaps in the hay, this type of planter can dry out more quickly than a normal planter, so regular watering is essential.

Also remember that your planter is actually decomposing while you are using it so remember to regularly fertilize the plants growing in it. Because nutrients may become temporarily unavailable during the decomposition process.

After you have finished growing your plants, move it out to the garden, take the straps off the bale, and use it to mulch/fertilize a part of your garden. You will find that the centre of the bale has decomposed into compost nicely by this stage.



About the Author:

The Bare Bones Gardener is a qualified Horticulturist and a qualified Disability Services Worker. He hates spending money on stuff which doesnt live up to the promises given. So he looks for cheaper, easier, simpler or free ways of doing the same thing and then he passes these ideas on to others.

Garden Blog - http://barebonesgardening.blogspot.com/