19. May, 2022

Composting Year Late May

This week I am ignoring the material left in the Composting site Reception bin and am concentrating on the weeds that have grown on the plot refreshed by the warmth and rain. There were enough weeds to provide 2 layers of greens in one of the pallet bins (see photo) and  to top up 5 of the moulded and sectional plastic bins on the plot. The bin shown was given a layer of shredded paper and topped with decomposing waste from the Reception bin. Watered and covered  while I take a holiday from the site.
A batch of ACT was bottled and left for members to take and on the day with bottles of Compost  Extract made to keep them happy for the  of the week. I am rapidly coming round to the view I will in future provide Compost Extract  instead of Aerated Tea as it is quicker to make and has a better shelf life for those who cannot get to the Allotment Site on Wednesdays. 
16. May, 2022

Compost Extract for when you do not have time for tea

Simple Compost extracts can be made in less than 20 minutes and applied immediately, making them very convenient if there is not enough time to brew aerated tea or to leave the compost for a long soak. While the extract will contain a lower population of microbes  than compost tea made from the same compost it  has a longer shelf life. Aerated Compost tea only  has a shelf life of only 3-4 hours, while it is claimed that an extract has a shelf life of 1- 2 weeks. I recommend checking the smell of the extract before use to check that  it has not turned  anaerobic. If anaerobic  it will  have an unpleasant smell and should not be used

The extract will also contain the range of soluble nutrients found in the original compost.

  Compost extracts require a larger volume of compost than teas.  It is recommended to use about a kilogram  (or 3 cups)    in   5 gallons of clean rainwater.

It can be used as a soil drench, to boost the soil  round established trees, on lawns  and even as a   root dip during  transplanting. Both the liquid and compost remaining in the bag makes a useful  activator added to  compost heaps. 

The Extract can be made agitating or vigorously mixing  compost in a bucket of water, or by running water at pressure through compost. The easiest method of doing this is to put the compost in a mesh screen bag, as would be used for making aerated compost tea. Put the bag in a bucket of clean rainwater and leave until the compost is soaked. Some recommended gently squeezing the bag so that the maximum number of microbes and nutrients are released.  The bag can be agitated for a few minutes so that the water washes through the compost. The bag is then left for another five minutes, and the agitation repeated.

If made in the “bag” it will probably not require filtering before use.A

 

15. May, 2022

Compost Year May

The Composting year. A weekly dip into our allotment community compost reception bin. The stalks are continuing tobe added, These will be chopped into about 2 inch lengths and crushed by hitting with a hammer. This exposes a greater surface are for the composting bugs to work on.

When visiting allotments I find large numbers bins with complete brassica stalks  relatively  unaffected by the composting process occuring in the materials round them. Do you chop and crush?

We have also had a lot of this small plants. Anyone know what they are?

Answer on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/carryoncomposting

 

15. May, 2022

Free Compost Tea or Compost Extract

Buy a hot drink from the site cafe and get a bottle of Compost Tea or Compost Extract plant feed free. Stokes Wood Allotment, 2b Stokes Drive , Leicester, LE3 9BS
Wednesday 10.30 -12. While stock last.  While there you might aswell gat a cop or have a cooked breakfast and have a look at the Compost Demonstration site.
27. Apr, 2022

The Compost Year. Fresh weeds and soil on the roots

 
Today I have returned to the matter of soil being left on weeds put in our Reception bin. Having enriched and cultivated the soil on the plots it seems a shame to give it away. However, the fresh weeds are a welcome source of Greens as most of the waste over the last week has been dried plant tops.  Although I would rather the soil was kept on the plot, when layered in a working bin it does introduce local microbes and can be used as a top layer when the bin is full. The contents of this bin are not going to be turned and will sink over the next week or two after which it will be topped up.
Just a reminder to  composters local to Leicester  that we have a session on Compost teas and liquid feeds next Wednesday (4th May) and an Introduction to Composting on the following Sunday (8May) email carryoncomposting1@gmail.com
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