PDC LESSON 7.9 COMPOST - WHAT MAKES IT GOOD

 

PERMACULTURE COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY

PDC LESSON 7.9 COMPOST - WHAT MAKES IT GOOD

What makes good compost?

Good compost will smell as sweet as the earth and will look like a dark crumbly mass. There should be enough moisture in it without being too wet. 

A combination of thirty parts of carbon to one part of nitrogen will make up a good composition and this means roughly half-green and half-brown parts of dry matter. All plant life contains both elements, but one may be more dominant.

For example, dead leaves are 40:1 carbon to nitrogen, fresh grass clippings are 20:1, and these two mixed together will make up a ratio of 30:1. Adding fresh manure will boost the nitrogen content of the heap thus it will encourage the decomposition rate of the compost. Do bear in mind that sheep manure for example is only about 4% nitrogen in it make up. Chook droppings are very potent and will tend to fire up the compost very quickly and it is advisable to use it by adding the deep litter rather than the straight manure.

Text from the roots, Elisabeth Ferkonia (Aus.) PDC studied with Bill Mollison, Chart Geoff Lawton