Upload
michael-jeans
View
224
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/7/2019 Making cold compost (part 3): a step-bystep guide with Abbie and Mark Jury.
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-cold-compost-part-3-a-step-bystep-guide-with-abbie-and-mark-jury 1/1
Friday, March 4, 2011 TARANAKI DAILY NEWS 13
GARDENING www.taranakidailynews.co.nz
Ref: 3535494
FAIRFIELDS
15x2
3539311AA
Villas available with Rural,
Sea and Mountain Views
Maida Vale is set in beautiful park-like grounds,
providing exceptional veiws of the mountain, portand sea. Enjoy friendship and companionship in a
safe, secure environment for people from 55 plus.
Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase a
license to occupy our New or Existing Villas.
Phone Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5pm
Ask for Pat or Karla06 755 0556 extn 777
or after hours: 027 810 6687
Retire in StyleRetire in Style
PLYMOUTH 1 Katere Road Ph 759 7435
EWOOD James Street FREEPHONE 0800 245 535
w.valuebuilding.co.nz
BUILDING SUPPLIES
e us for the RIGHT PRICE and EXPERT ADVICE
3528425AA
FREEFREE ldLink Gold CardBuildLink Gold Card
h Members Nationwide, Buildlinkoup has the buying power to ensureat deals for you - the customer.
apply for the FREE BuildLink ld Card simply call us, come o the store or visit
ww.valuebuilding.co.nz d fill out an application form .
uy Better” prices forash, Efftpos, MastercardVisa with a FREE
uildlink Gold Card.
SUMMER SPECIALSSUMMER SPECIALSON FENCING,ON FENCING,DECKING ANDDECKING AND
RETAINING WALLS:RETAINING WALLS:
$1615each
$399per LM
$1242each
Fence Rails
6.0m4.8m
sawn 100x50 Treated H3
TG&V Retaining Wall150x40 Treated H4
(all prices include GST)
Making coldcompost (part 3): a step-by-
stepguidewithAbbie andMarkJury.
In an earlier Classroom, we looked at making hot compost where heathelps the breakdown. Cold compost, where the work is done by worms,
is by far the most common form of home compost. You don’t needial facilities - a pile on the ground, compost bins or a netting ring are allIt needs to sit on dirt so the worms can move in. You are aiming to build
bout a cubic metre of composting material at a time.2
The ingredients and ratios are the same as for hot compost but becausecold compost is not usually turned, it is better to build it in layers.
Nitrogen comes from green waste (fresh leaves, vegetable scraps, lawnclippings etc) and this can be up to 60% of your mix. Carbon comes fromdried leaves and stalky vegetation along with all the twiggy bits and thisshould comprise 40 to 50% of the mix. The carbon also traps air in the mixtureand stops it turning to a sludgy mess.
3
Do not put in seed heads or diseased foliage or plants. Without heat, theseeds and diseases will survive and when you spread your compost, you
will be spreading them throughout the garden.
The usual advice is that citrus peel and egg shells should not beadded but we ignore that because we have large quantities ofcitrus peel to dispose of. The worms ignore it and it rots down
s own accord. However it pays not to add meat which will attracts, cats and rats. If you are adding newspaper, scrunch it up firstcomes out at the end of the process pretty much as it went in.spaper counts as carbon content.
5The compost worms will arrive of their own accord. Striped tiger wormsare the most common. If you are worried, you can buy them or transferthem from a worm farm but it is not necessary. If your compost pile gets
sludgy and smelly, you do not have enough carbon content and it may haveinsufficient air (oxygen).
6When you have about acubic metre of layered mix,cover the heap or bin.
Some people use old woollencarpet. Other options areheavy duty plastic, boards orcorrugated iron. We use oldweedmat weighed down soit does not blow off. Withcold compost, it will take atleast six months before itis ready to use and it maytake longer over thecolder months of theyear. But at the end ofthat, you should have aclean mix which is easyto handle and
nutritious in the garden.It is usually best to work
with a row of compostheaps, or at least three -
one you are building, onethat is maturing and one
that is being used.
Why home delivery?
call us now on (06) 759 0800 extn 7410and get the convenience of home delivery
Your Place,Your Pape
You don’t have to sharewith your workmates