Evening star., 1947-08-12
This and That
By Charles E. TraceaUeH.

|
Is there anything a gardener can do to taxi
the drudgery out of pulling weeds. rakins
| grass and gathering up leaves?
Yes, there Is, and mighty good thing too
1t is the construction and keeping of com.
post heap or pile.
! A sort of Chain reaction" takes place ir
! the compost. at least in a chemical sense, but
the greatest action Is in the mind OF the
!, keeper.
! He finds that former drudgery as outlined
becomes pleasant occupation, something te
look forward to.
And when he reaps the harvest in humus
good for all his plants, he realizes that those
who have advocated composting all these
years really knew what they were talking
about.
Especially city and suburban people, who
have difhculty in getting good rich dirt" find
q compost heap just the thing.
But will they fool with it? The truth is
that not more than two out of every 10 will
This comes about. in the main, because they
do not put too much stock in what they have
heard.
They have tried 1t, they say, and it is too
much trouble. But the point Is that they
have not tried it" correctly.
Just heaping vegetable matter up and letting
nature take care of 1t, with few rains, is not
enough,
1t takes from one to two years, by this
method, to get real good humus. People
today are much too impatient for that.
What is necessary is something to hasten
the fermentation process
If the householder will 20 to the trouble to
secure such an agent, whether lime or a
specially constructed material, he will find that
his compost heap becomes worthwhile fast.
And at the same time it gives him some place
to put his rakings.
Watching the material become compost is
very interesting.
pit may be dug. but If it Is used, one must
know whether there is good drainage.
The idea is to avoid drowning" the material.
Keep it wet, but do not soak is so that it is
always wet.
The edges must be kept turned in as
layers Of the special material or lime are put on
It Is amazing how far down a high pile of
leaves, grass or other stuff will pack, prepared
this way.
A pile feet high will go down to about
8 inches, after the material and water are
put on.
Too much water ruins everything, so care
must be exercised not to overdo this
Autumn leaves are ready to use when they
crumble. but other natural materials will take
longer.
From three to six months are required, by
this method, which is fast enough.
~
Pea pods and other clean vegetable matter
may be used, but no garbage, as such. and no
animal or wood products
The idea is to keep all clean and neat
so that when the processes are completed one
has a mass of crumbly material resembling
that found in the woods. good for use with any
plants, even for strewing over the lawn, mixed
with bit of sand.
There will be no bad smell to such q COM
post heap. What odor there is viii be sour,
and that only smelled when one is right over It,
. A wire mesh may be placed around the pile
to hold it together ut first
Lime or special material Is put on when
layer of matter foot deep is secured. AL Is
wet down at this point.
At least two compost heaps should be made,
as smaller ones are easier to handle, and one
may bs used while the other Ii getting into
shape.