RE: [Biofuel] Compost Update
Yes just pile it up ontop of the soil, you can losely rake or turn over the top of the soil to a shallow depth, it does depend on the type of tree however, pines seem to have intensive root structures close to the surface and most dicidueos(spelling?) don't, trees grow better if you piles all the compost into a big hole prior to planting. placing on top will help as the nutriants leech down through the soil. Its also good as it helps hold the moisture in the ground . trees hate grass and respond to a mulch around there roots, they naturally compete with each other, tress excrete an oil / substance that kills and inhibits grass growth. while grass trys to steal all the surface water Cheers, Bede -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of robert luis rabello Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 7:19 AM To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Subject: [Biofuel] Compost Update We have a new neighbor, a friendly, English fellow who noticed that I was turning my compost pile this morning. He came over, interested in my work, and asked several questions about composting. We also talked about my garden, which is, apparently, a rather hot topic of discussion among the people who live around here . . . I think my current batch of compost is too wet. After a couple of weeks in the bin, the bottom of the pile is dark brown, crumbly, smells like the forest floor and is crawling with worms and other small creatures. However, many of the long fibers from plant roots and stalks haven't fully decomposed (no, I don't own a shredder!), and the middle of the pile looks too wet. I've mixed in some dry material and put it back together, leaving it for the detritus creatures to handle. My questions with respect to all of this relates to digging compost in around my trees. When we go about weeding, I've noticed that digging near the trees runs a high risk of damaging surface roots. How can I dig all of this compost around my trees without wrecking the root network? Do I just pile the compost onto the surface and let it decompose further into the ground, or should I be less concerned about surface roots and dig the composted material into the soil around the drip line? How far down should I be going? Is this time of year the best time of year to be doing this, or should I save the compost for the fall? robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782> Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Compost Update
Hello Robert We have a new neighbor, a friendly, English fellow who noticed that I was turning my compost pile this morning. He came over, interested in my work, and asked several questions about composting. We also talked about my garden, which is, apparently, a rather hot topic of discussion among the people who live around here . . . I think my current batch of compost is too wet. The usual problem. After a couple of weeks in the bin, the bottom of the pile is dark brown, crumbly, smells like the forest floor and is crawling with worms and other small creatures. However, many of the long fibers from plant roots and stalks haven't fully decomposed (no, I don't own a shredder!), and the middle of the pile looks too wet. How does it smell? I've mixed in some dry material and put it back together, leaving it for the detritus creatures to handle. My questions with respect to all of this relates to digging compost in around my trees. Don't do it! When we go about weeding, I've noticed that digging near the trees runs a high risk of damaging surface roots. Yes, don't disturb the soil in the leaf-fall area. How can I dig all of this compost around my trees without wrecking the root network? What you don't see a lot of if you go for a walk in a forest is teams of little elves and so on out with their garden tools digging in compost under trees. Everything gathers naturally on the surface and steadily decomposes as the soil fungi and the trees' feeding roots invade it. In fact the soil doesn't really have a surface, it's more like a zone. Spread the compost rather than piling it, water well, cover with mulch to retain the moisture, and all will be well. Do I just pile the compost onto the surface and let it decompose further into the ground, or should I be less concerned about surface roots The surface roots are what you should be most concerned about, because the tree is. and dig the composted material into the soil around the drip line? How far down should I be going? Is this time of year the best time of year to be doing this, or should I save the compost for the fall? Any time will do. Use it as soon as it's ready. robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782> Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Compost Update
Keith Addison wrote: How does it smell? I went on a long hike with my eldest son several weeks ago, climbing a peak known locally as "Elk Mountain". It took over two hours for us to climb the 700 hundred odd meters to the top, and during most of that time, we climbed through a fir / spruce / pine forest. My compost smells remarkably like the floor of that forest. (And trust me, I was breathing HARD enough to notice!) Yes, don't disturb the soil in the leaf-fall area. Ok, I won't! What you don't see a lot of if you go for a walk in a forest is teams of little elves and so on out with their garden tools digging in compost under trees. : - ) Everything gathers naturally on the surface and steadily decomposes as the soil fungi and the trees' feeding roots invade it. In fact the soil doesn't really have a surface, it's more like a zone. Spread the compost rather than piling it, water well, cover with mulch to retain the moisture, and all will be well. The surface roots are what you should be most concerned about, because the tree is. Any time will do. Use it as soon as it's ready. Great! Thanks for the advice, Keith! robert luis rabello "The Edge of Justice" Adventure for Your Mind http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782> Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Compost Update
Hello, I would say, just put your compost on the surface. The rain as well as little animals like worms will take it into the ground. This is also the way it happens in natural forests. Met vriendelijke groet, Pieter Koole - Original Message - From: "robert luis rabello" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2005 9:18 PM Subject: [Biofuel] Compost Update > We have a new neighbor, a friendly, English fellow who noticed that I > was turning my compost pile this morning. He came over, interested in > my work, and asked several questions about composting. We also talked > about my garden, which is, apparently, a rather hot topic of > discussion among the people who live around here . . . > > I think my current batch of compost is too wet. After a couple of > weeks in the bin, the bottom of the pile is dark brown, crumbly, > smells like the forest floor and is crawling with worms and other > small creatures. However, many of the long fibers from plant roots > and stalks haven't fully decomposed (no, I don't own a shredder!), and > the middle of the pile looks too wet. I've mixed in some dry material > and put it back together, leaving it for the detritus creatures to handle. > > My questions with respect to all of this relates to digging compost > in around my trees. When we go about weeding, I've noticed that > digging near the trees runs a high risk of damaging surface roots. > How can I dig all of this compost around my trees without wrecking the > root network? Do I just pile the compost onto the surface and let it > decompose further into the ground, or should I be less concerned about > surface roots and dig the composted material into the soil around the > drip line? How far down should I be going? Is this time of year the > best time of year to be doing this, or should I save the compost for > the fall? > > > > robert luis rabello > "The Edge of Justice" > Adventure for Your Mind > http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=9782> > > Ranger Supercharger Project Page > http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ > > > > ___ > Biofuel mailing list > Biofuel@sustainablelists.org > http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): > http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
