While we were researching our tips for composting for the 5th R ROT, we saw Costa's video about making a Compost Trench. We liked it because you don't need an expensive compost bin and you don't need to move the compost once its ready.
Here's Costa's steps and a link to the video we watched.
Dig a trench about no more than 350mm deep; in a heavy clay soil make that 250mm. It can be as wide as you like, but two shovel widths is a good start. Retain the excavated soil.
Here's Costa's steps and a link to the video we watched.
Dig a trench about no more than 350mm deep; in a heavy clay soil make that 250mm. It can be as wide as you like, but two shovel widths is a good start. Retain the excavated soil.
- Layer scraps and garden waste in the base of the trench, to a depth of about 200mm. Alternate dry leaves with wet scraps, the more diverse the ingredients the better.
- To super charge your trench, sprinkle with a hand full each of lime and of rock dust per couple of metres.
- Back fill with the retained soil.
- The scraps will decompose over time, depending on the amount of oxygen and moisture below.
- To improve the soil above the scraps, sow a green manure crop of broad beans
- You can dig them back in as a green manure when they are shin high, or let them produce their delicious, nutritious seeds.
RSS Feed
