PDC LESSON 7.11 COMPOST – THE COOL HEAP
PERMACULTURE COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY
PDC LESSON 7.11 COMPOST – THE COOL HEAP
The cool heap
Passive.
Pile organic matter in a heap as material becomes available. Six months to two
years for finished compost
Hot heap
Active.
Manage the heap carefully to achieve heat and decomposition.
Compost Activators
If
there isn’t any manure in the compost heap it may pay to add some activators.
Urine, comfrey and yarrow, a roadkill or even some leftover meat are all good
activators for the compost as they are high in nitrogen. A spade full mature
compost also helps.
Common problems
The heap starts to smell unpleasant- too much nitrogen rich material, balance by
adding dry straw and twigs. The heap could be getting anaerobic, not enough
oxygen, turn the pile.
The compost heap is too dry-nothing seems to be rotting down-do you need an
activator?
Compost
will rot down to 40% of its original size.
Text
from the roots, Elisabeth Ferkonia (Aus.) PDC studied with Bill Mollison,
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