Composting:
Layer in a heap:
- lay with rough twigs or course cuttings first to make a base web of dry twigs
- 1 part green soft cuttings ( can include beneficial weeds like dandelion or nettle or borage or comfrey or chickweed and small grasses )
- 1 part dry matter ( grass, leaves, paper, straw wood chips, older twigs)
- part kitchen waste as and when it is ready for use…. Continue to deposit
- 1 part manure ( if you can get hold of it. I only add every 4th layer if I have )
- Include comfrey, yarrow, nettles, bonemeal, seaweed extract
Build this layered effect continuously until the heap is approx. 1,5 m high. It will sink as time goes on. Keep your autumn leaves in bags for use as the year moves ahead as too many dry leaves will stagnate a heap. Make sure the payers are not too thick of any of the ingredients. Too much wet green matter will go all sludgy too. Spread it out.
Water well and cover with layer dry matter or old grass cuttings. I have the space to leave it like that for about 2 months but if you need to activate the heap you can do the following:
Open the heap up to turn and add : freshly mowed green grass about 3 bags alternating with some molasses….. sugar for fermentation or you can use a molasses based animal feed if you know the ingredients. You can also make a fresh batch of bokashi to help with the decomposition. Once all mixed leave for about 12 days and it should be ready
Don’t hesitate to use it quite rough as it breaks down quickly in the garden too.
You can also build compost heaps directly onto your garden if you have an area where you would like to plant eventually. You can use layers of cardboard or newspaper to cover old weeds or grass and build your heap on top of this.
Plant beneficial plants around your compost too…like comfrey, stinging nettles, marigolds, borage or nasturtium etc near the heaps so you can just pick
Please contact Kim on +27 82 775 5178 if you have any queries in this regard.
