Subject: Re: Making compost without manure?
From: Teresa Reynolds <teresarey@mindspring.com>
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 98 22:59:31
Message-ID: <MOD$980831.11861@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980823.28179@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



As a two person household in a suburban setting, (on a 1/5 acre lot no less) we
composted using kitchen waste, leaves (mostly oak), various yard weeds, and
anything organic (except animal products). This hit-or-miss composition was a
great improvement over our 'builder's fill' which started our garden spot. So
yeah, you CAN get compost without manure. But it may not be what your garden
needs. In our case, the acidic compost did wonders on azaleas, rhodedendrons,
even tomatos and onions, especially when compared to our non-composting
neighbors. So, preaching to the choir no doubt, any composting, when used
correctly, is an improvement over no composting.

The big deal to balance is trying to get that 'right' nutritional balance out
of the end result. The one thing to remember is that the necessary result
might vary depending on your starting point. If you have clay, then lumpy
compost, with straw and 'texture' is a great benefit. If you're going to apply
the compost to something with a sensitivity to Ph, test the compost before the
application. You can also do 'slow' and 'fast' piles, if you have material
that won't compost in the time span allowed. The most important factor to
getting heat for me seems to be volume and turning at 3-5 day intervals for
aeration. Heat is essential to kill weed seeds, 'bad' microorganisms, and
otherwise neutralizing any potential problems. Most libraries have decent
texts on the basic methods and options, but isn't experimentation fun!

Again, maybe this is beneath the level of this group, but I so rarely get the
chance to extole the virtues of creating your own soil! I just moved to a new
house, so I'll be doing a fast compost pile until next spring, when it will
become the base of my vegetable garden. Any advice is always welcome.