[compost_tea] Re: Inclusion of clay in compost

From: Steve Diver <steved_at_ncat.org>
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2005 21:40:27 -0000

Allan -

This is subsoil clay, or heavy clay soil.

It is not purchased in a bag, that would
be outrageously expensive.

If there is a backhoe working in your
neighborhood, digging a trench or digging
a foundation for a building... observe the
clay subsoil.  That is what you want in
pickup truck or dump truck load quantities
as a composting pad feedstock.

You might have to chop or mix the clay
subsoil before use, just to get rid of
clumps so it spreads like soil and not
like clumps of clay.

It is common to grow a crop of cereal rye
on the clay pile, so the roots get into
the clay and start a biological process.

This is known as "activated clay."

When you are building the windrow,
the last thing you add to the pile
of manure, straw, and green chop -- as
well as rock dust and finished compost
-- is a bucket of clay.  Then you mix it
all together with the equipment you have
on hand.... whether a bucket loader
or a compost turner.

When the compost is finished, you should
be able to see humified compost structure
with the naked eye.  I'm not talking about
microscope structure, I'm talking about
naked eye structure.... though the beauty
of microbial clay-humus archicture can best
be seen under a microscope. 

It is easy to see the difference between
humifed compost vs fluffy compost that has
little structure... through first-hand
observation and feel.

Mike Rottina in Pennsylvania once hosted
a web site called World Humus Interest Group.

For a while, he managed Luebke compost with
George Leidig of Autrusa Compost in Pennsylvania,
selling premium grade humified compost to
greenhouses, nurseries, and golf courses.

We were among a group of farmers and agricultural
specialists that traveled to Austria, Germany,
and Switzerland to study the Luebke compost method
and the whole system of organic farming typical
of the humus farming tradition in Europe.

The World Humus Interest Group site was
www.humus.org.... but it has been captured by a
web pirate looking to sell this domain.... such is
life on the web and the world of predatory capitalism.

Nonetheless, if you know how to use The Wayback
Machine, you can find archived information.  Thus,
the following instructions for building the compost
windrow come from Mike Rottina's old web page.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How to Construct a Compost Windrow

http://web.archive.org/web/20010508193757/
www.humus.org/compostinfo/PileBuilding/SlideShow.html

1.  Lay out the lightest weight compostable products
[usually the carbon source(s)]

2. "Fluff" the carbon source with a compost turner

3. Add your nitrogen source (light weight products first)

4. Top off with roughly 10% high quality finished
compost and 10% clay based soil

5. Turn once

6. After 24 hours turn again

7. At 48 hours turn again and add water if the pile is
less than 45% moisture content

8. Continue to turn daily for roughly 3 weeks each day
(CO2 levels will probably be above 20% and moisture at
45%)

9. Do not turn when CO2 levels are below 8-10%

**NOTE** Moisture content is VERY critical. It should
stay 45-55%, especially in the first 3 weeks.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Hopefully, these extra details are helpful. 

Steve Diver



--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, Allan Balliett <igg@i...> wrote:
> Steve - Help me here: What IS the clay? Is this bought in in particle
> form are is this (for Luebke) to be from my red clay subsoil? -Allan







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Received on Sun Feb 06 2005 - 18:48:27 EST

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