Most gardeners compost in some way, adding the finished mixture to the soil to improve its fertility. This often takes place in a tumbler, turning the pile, or bin arrangement. You may be wondering whether you can compost in your garden. Compost may be turned less often, thanks to in situ composting. Numerous methods for composting on-site, eliminating the need to transfer and manage the material.
The dependable methods for decomposing organic materials include trenching, layering, and cold composting. With any of them, there is no need to relocate yard trash to a separate area of the landscaping. The substance just remains put and breaks down naturally. Despite being slower than a regularly maintained, “hot” compost system, these techniques are nevertheless effective. Depending on the technique, the material may be ready in a year; however, choosing one of these methods to compost might be worthwhile due to how simple and low maintenance they are.
Composting in Garden Trenches
To trench, all you need to do is dig a decent-sized hole. You may bury vegetative items, meat, and grains while composting this way. Since they attract scavengers, the latter two elements are often banned in compost. Rats cannot reach the item if it is buried under at least 12 inches (31 cm) of dirt.
Trenching is a fantastic technique for any season. The soil’s natural bacteria and other creatures will break down the material quickly. The soil’s nutritional value will be improved, and moisture retention will be aided as an underground side dress around vegetable crops. It is crucial to avoid filling the trench with excessive garbage while making it long and broad enough to accommodate the material. The recommended thickness for a waste layer is 6 inches (15 cm). If there are more, the material will not degrade quickly enough, and potentially harmful microorganisms might develop.
In Situ Composting
Intentionally leaving the organic stuff in situ is exactly what it sounds like. It may simply be left there, but adding organic stuff like leaf mulch, wood chips, twigs, or other woody debris is more effective. The space in Hugelkultur is first bordered with logs and other tiny woody materials. The organic material is next spread on top of them, and straw or grass clippings are added. Add some manure to the pile to speed up the composting process, and top it with a quality soil combination if it will be planted right away. Cover the area with black plastic to increase heat, maintain moisture, and hasten the breakdown process if it is not used for planting right away.
How to Bury Compost in Layers in a Garden
Organic waste may be broken down extremely effectively by a sheet or lasagna gardening. Layers of moist cardboard or newspaper are placed on the location first. Remove the adhesive off the cardboard and be careful not to use glossy ad material. On top, add green materials, such as kitchen scraps, grass clippings, or manure. A layer of carbon is then placed on top of them.
This might be straw, dried leaves, or torn pieces of paper. Next, include a second layer of green and a second layer of brown. Multiple layers of the bed are permitted, but they must all terminate with a carbon or brown layer. The lasagna garden will be prepared for planting in the spring if it is finished in the autumn. This is an excellent technique for composting materials like sod and is appropriate for use at any time of the year.