[From previous chapter]
There should be no
unpleasant smell of putrefaction or of ammonia but a musty smell changing to one
of good woodland soil. If all is going well a handful of the potential compost
should stand up to the following examination. Its temperature will depend upon
the age of the heap: up to about 140°F in the early sties. sinking to about
64°F at the end, unless you have a cool fermentation when the temperature will
be very little above blood heat. Squeeze the handful of ''compost" : no
moisture should ooze through your fingers. If it does, there is far too much
moisture present. On opening your fingers the contents should not fall apart but
remain firm; falling apart is a sign that the contents are too dry. Drop the
ball of compost to the ground; it should fall apart into small pieces, the more
crumbly the better. Failure to do this is a sign of too much moisture. In the
very early stages this test needs slight modifications because the contents of
the heap will not be sufficiently broken down but one can test for temperature, smell, moisture and
color in this way. To test whether
"breakdown" of materials is occurring try breaking the material by
pulling or twisting.
VI FAULT-FINDING AND REMEDYING
Due to the many factors
involved it is possible for mistakes to he made and the final result is not the
ideal compost we all hope to make. To help in tracking down faults, when you
have sliced into your heap look for three regions on the profile of the heap:
(1) An outer layer 3"-6" thick on the edge of the profile.
(2) A middle
region extending inwards for 3'-4' and
(3) A central core about 1' thick.
Do not expect to see these three as clear-cut regions with hard and last boundaries. They will merge into each other but they are to be found due to the varying conditions prevailing as a result of the ability of air to penetrate into the heap, winds drying out the surface of the heap, the increasing density as one goes towards the centre of the heap excluding air, etc. It is for this reason that care must be taken in building the heap; aiming at achieving uniform conditions within, and then covering the heap so as to prevent outside weather conditions from disturbing the optimum conditions. In examining your heap you will realise that the middle region should really be working under ideal conditions; it is protected from the outer world by the outer laver, and it does not have all the weight of the heap pressing upon it, as does the central core.
Outer Layer
(a) Too dry
due to exposure to drying winds or baking sun. If the layer has formed a crust, loosen it up with a rake and then water thoroughly
with a fine mist spray so that it has time to absorb the moisture. Water poured
quickly over the heap is quite likely to drain through before being absorbed.
Avoid further trouble by protecting with straw, mats or, sacking;
(b) Too wet.
Work through the laver with a fork so as to lighten it on a dry day. Leave to
dry out then cover with straw, etc to prevent further saturation be rain. In
very wet situations it may be advisable to protect heaps with a rough, roof
shelter without walls.
Middle Region
(a) Too moist but no objectionable smell. This can be cured by poking air holes into the heap at intervals of about 2' wrath a stout stake.
(b) Very wet, smelly and caked. The heap is to contact and aeration is lacking. The only certain care is to turn the heap, shaking out each forkful Farley, and avoiding consolidation in the new heap. Borderline cases maybe he helped by poking sufficient airholes into the heap but turning would be more satisfactory.
(c) To Dry. It may be wisest to turn the heap watering well-defined spray as building proceeds. If time or labor cannot be spared for this then make a hole in the top of the heap and put the end of the hose in, allow a trickle of water TCP slowly into the heap. Repeat at intervals along the line of the heap. Nearly two floodwater over the outside of the heap will not sure this fall.
(d) Very hot. A sign that the heap was too loosely built. Either rebuild the heap, consolidating more than before, or water thoroughly.
Central Core
(a) Too moist but other conditions favorable. This can be cured by poking airholes into the center of the heap to allow it to dry out.
(b) Very wet, caked; unpleasant odor, black or bluish shades, green, greasy areas. Obvious indications of future vacation and anaerobic processes, indicating that the heap is too solid. This may be due to over-consolidation of the original materials, using very wet materials when building with no dry material to even up the moisture content; the heap was too high and too wide causing excessive pressure of the lower layers of heat, or the distance from the core of heat to the outside is too great to allow air to penetrate; or poor drainage allowing liquid to collect at the base of the heap.
Cured by turning the heap, paying attention to hints given in the section on "Building the Heap", especially consolidation, moisture content and height. In very game situations may be found worthwhile to put a low tunnel through the length of the heap to provide drainage and aeration. This can take the form of bundles of brushwood, large diameter (say 12 inches) land train tiles, or two long, low hurdles made from rough timber resting against each other along the top edge so as to form a triangular section Connell about 15 inches high, over which the heap is built.
The wet, central core can be used as the outer layers when building a new heap.
(c) Very dry. A sure sign that the original material was to dry. The material may have the look of dried peat. Poke holes down to the core and allow water to see slowly into the center of the heap from the house.
Failure of the heap to heat up. This can be caused by a lack of the nitrogenous material when the heap was first built; or by excessive dryness or wetness—extreme conditions; the heap may be too small to retain the heat generated. The only remedy is to rebuild the heap incorporating freshman or, or dried blood, and metals, lawn mowings. If too wet, bring in dry refuse from somewhere. If too dry, water thoroughly. If too small, either makes it in with another heat if available, by a Baylor two of straw to increase the bulk, or give added protection with sacks, wood wool, etc.
Correction of defaults should lead to the production of good compost, a dark brown, moist, crumbly product, smelling of woodland soil.
ISBN 0 9503780 3 8
(1960) reprinted 1999
Published by the Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association, Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Rd, London NW1 6XT
Another good book:
Secrets of the soil - New Solutions for Restoring our Planet' by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird
ISBN 1 890693 24 3
|
If you have come to this page from an outside location click here to get back to mindfully.org |