Step 2: Layering your compost with complete nutrients! Carbon-Nitrogen Cycle!
"Give back to the soil as much as you have taken- and a little bit more- and Nature will provide for you abundantly!" -Alan Chadwick
It is important to fulfill all the necessary needs of our future fruits, veggies, and compost crops. To do this we need a wide variety of organic compounds from all sorts of sources in our compost. We also add soil to the mix for all the worms and decomposing microorganisms too. This will create a rich hummus for our plants to grow in. The main element to compost is an ideal nitrogen-to-carbon ratio. An ideal nitrogen-to-carbon-to-soil ratio is 45% nitro, 45% carb, and 10% soil. Yes, other vitamins and minerals are also necessary but for basic protein structuring of plant cells the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio is the foundation.
In this step I have added a 5-8 cm (3-4 inches) of twigs and wood chips. I have also added another 5-8cm (3-4 inches) layer of dry leaves. Watering thoroughly between and after layers. These two layers are known as the carbon layer.
What has carbon in it? Basically everything you see in your garden that is brown has carbon. Many other things have carbon, like pine needles, cardboard, charcoal, and ashes. Usually I like to stay away from anything toxic to you or the plants. For example, ink on cardboard or newspaper....or highly acidic things like pine needles. If I was you I'd just just dry leaves, wood chips, and non-treated shredded cardboard.
Why water between layers? We are trying to create soil! There are billions of microbes and organisms in soil with lots of different nutrients, minerals, and organic matter. Water is the binding element in compost that completes the decomposing life-cycle. If water is added to the pile frequently then it makes it easier for decomposition to happen.
The next step is to add the nitrogen layer.
It is important to fulfill all the necessary needs of our future fruits, veggies, and compost crops. To do this we need a wide variety of organic compounds from all sorts of sources in our compost. We also add soil to the mix for all the worms and decomposing microorganisms too. This will create a rich hummus for our plants to grow in. The main element to compost is an ideal nitrogen-to-carbon ratio. An ideal nitrogen-to-carbon-to-soil ratio is 45% nitro, 45% carb, and 10% soil. Yes, other vitamins and minerals are also necessary but for basic protein structuring of plant cells the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio is the foundation.
In this step I have added a 5-8 cm (3-4 inches) of twigs and wood chips. I have also added another 5-8cm (3-4 inches) layer of dry leaves. Watering thoroughly between and after layers. These two layers are known as the carbon layer.
What has carbon in it? Basically everything you see in your garden that is brown has carbon. Many other things have carbon, like pine needles, cardboard, charcoal, and ashes. Usually I like to stay away from anything toxic to you or the plants. For example, ink on cardboard or newspaper....or highly acidic things like pine needles. If I was you I'd just just dry leaves, wood chips, and non-treated shredded cardboard.
Why water between layers? We are trying to create soil! There are billions of microbes and organisms in soil with lots of different nutrients, minerals, and organic matter. Water is the binding element in compost that completes the decomposing life-cycle. If water is added to the pile frequently then it makes it easier for decomposition to happen.
The next step is to add the nitrogen layer.
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