Survival Gardening: How to Create Compost in English (accent from USA) 3D

Compost can be used
to improve the quality of your soil. Your compost will add nutrients
and organic matter to your soil, helping your crops grow better. The ideal compost pile size is two meters by
two meters by two meters. The minimum suggested size
is one meter by one meter by one meter. Smaller compost piles are slow to decompose. Any day is a good day
to start your compost pile, but the best time
to start is in the rainy season. The rainy season will mean there is
plenty of green vegetation available. Plant material provides a carbon source. Animal manure or legume plants
provide a source of nitrogen. Water, oxygen, warm temperatures, pressure provided by the weight of soil, and microorganisms are
needed to make compost. Start the compost pile by creating
a 15 to 20 cm deep foundation layer. In order to create this layer you can use coarse
materials like maize stalks, maize cobs or small sized branches. The foundation layer
allows air to enter the compost pile. You will next need a layer that will keep in the fine materials
from going into the foundation layer. To do this, place banana leaves, cabbage leaves or paper over the foundation layer. Next, you will need
to add 25 cm of vegetation. This can include plant material such as green vegetation, dried grass, leaves or anything that grows. We call this the carbon source. Once you have
applied these plant materials, then you will need to water it using
a sprinkler can or other water container. You will then need to add 5 cm
of animal manure or legume plants, such as beans or peas. This layer will provide nitrogen that serves as the fuel
that gets the bacterial action going and starts the decomposition process. Next, add 5 cm of soil, to provide weight, pressure, and source of microorganisms
to the compost pile. You can also use termite mound soil. Adding a layer of kitchen scraps, ashes or eggshells will further enhance
the bacterial action in the compost heap. Do not use animal parts, blood or animal fat in your compost pile as they will attract
rodents and other animals. Always water each new layer
that you add to the compost pile. Continue adding alternating
layers of plant material and animal manure followed by a layer of soil on top until the pile reaches the desired height. Complete the compost heap by
watering and adding a layer of mulch, such as grass clippings or maize stalks. You should dig a trench
around the base of your compost pile so that excess water can drain without carrying
nutrients away from the pile. The middle of the compost heap
is where the decomposition begins and is where the first compost
will be ready to harvest. The compost piles will
naturally heat up to 65 C at the middle of the pile. To see if decomposition is happening insert a small tree branch or steel rod into
the center of the pile for a few minutes. When the branch is removed,
if decomposition is happening, the stick will be warm to the touch. The decomposition rate
is affected by temperature, moisture, size and type of vegetation, and how often
the pile is mixed or turned. If you keep the pile moist,
decomposition will happen faster. If it does not rain, you should water your
compost pile once a week. Chopping or shredding plant
material speeds up decomposition. Turning and mixing
the compost pile once per week can result in mature compost
in 6 weeks to 2 months. The more you turn the pile,
the quicker it will decompose. The easiest way to turn the compost pile is to move the pile
next to its original location placing the outer less decomposed
materials of the pile to the inside and leaving the more
decomposed material on the outside. Mature compost is dark brown or black
with crumbly structure and a sweet smell. If you choose not to turn
or mix your compost pile it will form mature compost
in six months to one year. Compost can be stored
without losing nutrient value. Keep the compost moisture level low. Cover the pile
with mulch or other material. Not only will
compost increase your yield, if you have extra compost,
it can be sold as a source of income. When plants grow,
they remove nutrients from the soil. Using the compost you have
made returns nutrients to the soil, resulting in increased plant production.

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