SOIL-BUILDING BASICS
(Page 4 of 7)
Of course, the Sullivans can't redig their perennial beds (doing so would disturb the plants). So, to make up for that lack of regular soil loosening, they incorporate compost—a great deal of it—and some bone meal (as a phosphorus supplement) when they first prepare such areas.
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COMPOST
Without question, the key to our growers' soil fertility successes is that gardeners' god-send . . . compost. Kerry and Barbara (who make almost 15 tons of homemade humus a year!) work an inch of the soil enricher into the top half-foot of a bed every time they plant a new crop. They use this substance to supply nutrients . . . add the organisms that make for a healthy, living growing medium . . . and create a loose and friable—yet water-retaining—soil. So whether or not you ever intend to cover-crop, rotate plantings, or double-dig, you'd be wise to imitate our growers' use of this remarkable "soil superizer". To help you do so, here—for the first time anywhere—is the Sullivans' formula for brewing batches of brown gold.
[1] Fork up the soil where you intend to build your compost pile. This will allow good drainage from the heap . . . promote air circulation (remember that you're after aerobic, not anaerobic, decomposition) . . . and make it easier for indigenous worms and bacteria to move up into the pile.
[2] Put down a layer of the coarsest plant material you have. Cornstalks, old cabbage plants, sunflower stems, straw, large plant stalks, or other similar materials will work fine. This rough layer is set on the bottom to help air circulate into the pile from beneath.
[3] Sprinkle on a light splashing of biodynamic compost starter solution. This substance—which helps introduce friendly bacteria into the pile—is not essential for composting success . . . but Barbara and Kerry have found that it increases the rate of decomposition so effectively that they now need turn their piles only once instead of twice, and the quality of the finished product is noticeably improved, as well. (A one-ounce bag of the starter, enough to treat one ton of compost, can be ordered for $5.50 postpaid from the Pfeiffer Foundation, Threefold Farm, Dept. TMEN, Spring Valley, New York 10977.) After mixing up the solution according to the packet's directions, simply sprinkle the liquid on with a big brush.
[4] Add a layer of manure-filled straw gathered from some livestock animal's bedding. The excrement contained in this material will contribute much of the nitrogen the pile's bacteria will need to make humus, while the straw will add some carbon. To assure adequate airflow in the heap, fluff up the bedding with a fork—and break up any large animal "pies"—before adding it. And try to keep the edges of all your layers neat and straight as you work, so you'll be able to make a large pile.
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