Composting at home for healthier kitchen gardens

Jun 26, 2022 News

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The Creators’ Coven

By Zena Henry

In a previous Creators’ Coven column, I looked at the current pressures facing families as the globe still battles the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and now, the high prices and unavailability of some basic goods and services amplified by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Recognising that there may be no immediate end to the ongoing challenges, it was recommended that citizens could find ways to adjust to better accommodate these unfortunate changes.

Measures may not be able to totally erase the challenges faced at this time but revamping to give some more wiggle room could be effective. There are different areas that could be looked at when considering what adjustments could be applied. The Coven had highlighted a couple of those such as the creation of a kitchen garden and we even showed how to achieve this in small spaces. This idea was especially important since it’s an effort that has a direct impact on the home’s food bill.
We had highlighted also different planting techniques that could be adopted to maximise space and save on money. Some of the techniques included high-yield crops, wide row planting and vertical planting to name a few; but we will look at those in depth in another column. We had not spoken about composting and in this regard, it could mean a lot when looking to save money and grow enough food in small spaces. Some of us might remember that in the height of the pandemic $500 could no longer buy adequate portions of green seasonings when a generous portion of celery for instance, was once $200. Today, $500 is needed for a decent bundle of celery. These are some of the basic herbs needed by households as seasonings in their pots. Being able to grow this and other frequently used foods will have a positive impact on how much is saved. These are small items but because of the frequent need, they very much add up.
Composting could be very useful it’s said to be a garden’s insurance. Quincy Benjamin, an organic fertiliser producer from Mahaica had expressed these very sentiments when The Coven had met him selling his product. Benjamin owns an establishment, Mahaica Organics which produces, among other items, liquid organic fertiliser. He had explained how important such natural fertilisers are when it came to growing healthy, plentiful crops. He told The Coven that organic waste is mixed with other ingredients which are his special recipe, water is added and left to sit for several months. The alkaline level of the mixture is then tested for the right pH. Benjamin is one of the many local compost producers who could supply the fertiliser. At this point, he produces the fertiliser on a commercial basis, so if he can make the fertiliser for resale, then definitely the item could be homemade; we are paying attention to cutting cost by growing our own food and doing it as cheaply as possible.
There are still many people that are unfamiliar with composting techniques. Luckily, we live in an age where content relating to almost any topic is now at our fingertip. And so, apart from having to seek out persons like Benjamin to get the composting done, there is now easy access to getting the necessary information. Gardeners.com for example, provides free information on gardening ideas and other related information to offer guidance on the new venture.
They advised that maintaining a compost pile is the surest, easiest way to having a better garden. Not only does it help to produce the best possible food for the garden, but watching leaves, eggshells, discarded food and grass clippings become transformed into rich compost filled with earthworms and other soil creatures, makes it easier to learn what healthy soil is all about. Compost is a rich and crumbly blend of partially decomposed organic material that does wonders for the soil and garden.
Whether hard and compacted, sandy, stony, heavy, or wet, adding compost will improve soil texture, water-holding capacity, and fertility. The soil will gradually become fluffy and brown—the ideal home for healthy plants. Compost also provides a balanced source of plant nutrients. Even when the soil is great it can’t be expected that the soil will remain rich and productive without replenishing the nutrients that are consumed. No commercial fertiliser, even one that is totally organic, provides the full spectrum of nutrients that you can achieve with compost. The nutrients are available gradually, as the plants need them. The microorganisms in the compost will also help the plants absorb nutrients from fertilisers more efficiently.
Adding compost moderates pH and fertility problems, so you can concentrate on the pleasures of gardening, not the science of the soil’s chemical composition. Unlike organic or inorganic fertilisers, which need to be applied at the right time and in the right amount, compost can be applied at any time and in any amount. You can’t really over-apply it. Plants use exactly what they need, when they need it.
So how does composting actually work?
Some basic compost ingredients are fruits and vegetables, egg shells, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, nut shells, shredded newspaper, cardboard, paper, yard trimmings grass clippings, leaves, sawdust, wood chips, cotton, hair and fur and ash.
For an easy cheap version start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to the garden beds easily. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches high. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
Add compost materials in layers, alternating based on moisture and dryness. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or else they will clump together and be slow to break down. Add manure, green manure; grass clippings for example. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
Cover with anything you have – wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain. The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden. Turn occasionally. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work and turning allows for that.
Once you’ve established your compost pile, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion. If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly. Knowing how creative we are in Guyana, one can use an old plastic drum to create their own compost bin. That would be cheaper and easier as the drum could be flipped when necessary.

 

 

 

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