Achamore Gardens
The Compost Site
It is only since 2007 has there been a central composting site. There are many ways to build up a compost heap, but the method I adopt here is as follows:
- Use only material that is compostable
- Use material that is non-woody such as grass clippings, cuttings, weeds including perennials etc.
- Start building in late August and pile on in layers
- Once every 6 weeks, use the bucket on the farm tractor to scoop up and "turn".
- This operation helps to mix, allows air and moisture in to build up heat for essential microbial activety.
- Continue for 12 months.
- Using the tractor, the whole heap is lifted and transferred to another part of the site for final decomposition.
- This movement can take a day
- Do not pile too high, no more than 2 metres.
- This allows for the microbes to continue breaking down the material
- Allow a few days rain to soak into the new heap
- Cover with a large farm plastic "clamp" sheet.
- The heat build within the heap is phenomenal
- By March /April the following year, the compost is ready to be used as a mulch in the gardens.
- In the meantime, a new heap is under construction for the following year.
We have lifted turf from the walled garden and have rolled it up to make loam which when has broken down will give us a good balancel of sand, silt and clay soil. It can be used as a top-dressing on lawns, potting or in the garden as an ameliorant.
We try to keep the footpath next to the site as clean as we can, but it will get muddy at times......but that is recycling for you.
(Updated by Micky Little May 2011)
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