[Community_garden] sheet composting

Wed Aug 29 22:16:01 EDT 2007

 Here's a recipe from John Rowley, the Seattle compost guy.  I'm pretty
sure he won't mind me sharing it.  I know that the Interbay garden was
developed out of a rubble lot and became ridiculously fertile.  Have
fun.
Incidentally, it is helpful if people with questions like this will
indicate at least roughly where they are located.  There is a world of
difference in what you can do over winter between Minnesota and
Mississippi.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

===============================

PREPARING A WINTER GARDEN

"INTERBAY MULCH"

	As an over-winter method for building humus-rich soil, it would
be difficult to improve on the  "Interbay Mulch" (named after the
community garden in Seattle where it was developed) for effectiveness.
Interbay-mulched soil, according to lab tests, is "uniquely active".
Over a winter, an Interbay Mulch will give you a large volume of humus
as well as a rich diversity of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, beneficial
nematodes, microarthropods, beetles, millipedes and worms. Living soil
is key to successful organic gardening.  Grow lush healthy disease and
weed free gardens after just one winter.

  	Interbay Mulch is basically various organic matter culled from
the urban waste stream piled on top of your soil and covered with damp
burlap. And it's all free! We have found organic matter decomposes
faster on top of the soil than it does if you till it in as long as it
is covered and kept moist.

Why the burlap?
	Covering organic matter with burlap fools nocturnal,
light-avoiding organisms into working for you 24 hours a day. Burlap
will diffuse and soak up rain preventing it from driving into the mulch;
it also  inhibits evaporation, keeping organic materials uniformly
moist.  Birds are unable to forage in the mulch so worms and other
organisms flourish and multiply. Burlap covers the mulch but is also
part of the habitat cultivating a rich variety of fungi and providing a
home for beetles, spiders worms and the like.  Burlap permeability
allows needed oxygen to reach all parts of  the mulch.

What do I use for mulch under the burlap?
	First and foremost the debris from your garden.  Chop up your
corn, bean and squash plants. Tomato plants, etc.  (Many of us don't
even worry about seeds because of  ongoing top dressing mulches during
the growing season.  If you are concerned about seeds or diseases, put
those plants in the hot composting holding cages.) Think the same
"brown" and "green" mix used for hot composting, approximately 50-50.
The more variety in materials the better.  

Interbay Mulch 
Page 2

 What are some examples of "Browns"?
Leaves are easily obtained in the fall. Dried cornstalks. Straw is a
good brown; even better if it is rotted. You can also add rotted burlap,
cotton dryer lint, shredded paper, and season with a few pine needles.
Woody material should be limited to rotted material that you can smoosh
between your fingers.

What about "greens"?
Practically anything that doesn't burn when you put a match to it.
Garden debris, green corn stalks, fresh grass clippings, coffee grounds
(leave a bucket at your favorite espresso cart), juice bar pulp, spent
grain and hops, seaweed, grape pressings, apple pomace, tea, and so on.
Any kind of organic manure is good.

Should I add compost?
Using compost as part of the mix is a great way to get the system
jumpstarted. One wheelbarrowfull of rough compost per hundred square
feet is sufficient to get things going.  Using burlap that was used last
year is also a good way to inoculate your mulch.  The used sacks are
full of dormant organisms just waiting to go to work.

How much  material should I use? Depending on your soil needs, the mulch
will be 6 to 18 inches deep.  Make sure all materials are damp before
covering with burlap.  

Do I just walk away and leave it for the winter after covering with
burlap?
Check for moisture during the winter.  If materials dry out
decomposition comes to a halt.  You can also feed your mulch during the
winter like a worm bin.  Adding materials once the mulch is active makes
it work even better.  You will have fun checking your mulch through the
winter.  The biology is fascinating.  You will have given birth to
billions of trillions of organisms. Some you can even see!

When can I plant in the spring?
If you start your mulch in October you should have rich humus to plant
into by March.   If you started with 12" of mulch you will end up with
2-3 inches of soil-energizing humus.

Do I till it in or just plant into it?
Gardeners do both successfully.

Questions?  Contact Jon Rowley 206-283-7566
==============================================
-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
lynng30
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 8:56 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] sheet composting

Hello,

Does anyone have experience starting a brand new garden using sheet
composting as a technique to "break ground"? (read below for details)  

I am working with a group planning to do a high school garden and I
recommended having the site tilled/plowed and then worked into raised
beds.  It will be something like 14 - 4' x 16' raised beds (no timber,
just digging the soil up into raised beds and bringing material in -
such as straw - for the paths in
between).   A teacher at the school suggested the
sheet composting technique.  That would have to be started this fall for
a spring '08 garden.  I am skeptical that it could be very productive
for the first several years - as it might take that long for the layers
of soil to be worked by natural processes for the deeper rooted crops.
I have read through the Lasagne Garden book and thought of that as one
method to use.

Any suggestions?  Experience in this area? 

I appreciate your time and expertise in your responses!
-Lynn

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