How to Grow More Vegetables : And Fruits, Nuts ... - Shroomery

There are more than 6 billion microbial
life-forms in only 1 level teaspoon of
cured compost—more than the number
of people on Earth!
Soil is added to a compost pile after green
vegetation and a kitchen waste layer.
40 COMPOST
KEY ORGANIC MATTER FUNCTIONS
1. Organic matter feeds plants through nutrient exchange and
through nutrient release upon its decomposition.
2. It is a continual slow-release source of nutrients for plants.
3. Organic acids in humus help dissolve minerals in the soil,
making the mineral nutrients available to plants. Organic
acids also increase the permeability of plant root membranes
and therefore promote the plant roots’ uptake of water and
nutrients.
4. Organic matter is the energy source for the soil’s microbial
life-forms, which are an integral part of soil health. In 1 gram
of humus-rich soil there are several billion bacteria, 1 million
fungi, 10 to 20 million actinomycetes, and 800,000 algae.
5. The microbes that feed on organic matter in the soil
temporarily bind the soil particles together. The fungi, with
their thread-like mycelia, are especially important. They literally
sew the soil together. The microbes secrete compounds
into the soil as they live, metabolize, and ultimately decompose.
Their secretions are a bacterial glue (polysaccharides)
that holds soil particles, thus improving the soil’s structure.
Structure is vital to soil productivity because it ensures good
aeration, good drainage, good water retention, and erosion
resistance.
6. Organic matter is the key to soil structure, keeping it safe
from severe erosion and keeping it in an open, porous
condition for good water and air penetration.
Add the soil layer immediately after the kitchen waste. It
contains microorganisms that speed decomposition, keeps the
smell down to a minor level, and prevents flies from laying
eggs in the garbage. The smell will be difficult to eliminate
entirely when waste from members of the cabbage family is
added. In a few days, however, even this soil-minimized odor
will disappear. Also, the soil in the compost pile becomes “like
compost.” It holds compost juices, microbes, and minerals that
would otherwise leach out of the pile. It is one way to get
“more” compost.
Watering the Pile
As each layer is added, water it thoroughly so the pile is
evenly moist—like a wrung-out damp sponge that does not give
out excess water when squeezed. Sufficient water is necessary
for the materials to heat and decompose properly. Too little
water results in decreased biological activity, and too much
simply drowns the aerobic microbial life. Water the pile, when