Composting is about Dampness, Warmth, Oxygen and Humus All four work together with added solids from the back passage to produce an enriched humus which benefits plant growth and unless I could carry that recycling process right through I would not bother composting. I'd dig out my trowel and barge off into the woods.
The soil/humus medium should be organic, free from chemicals and pollution and able to support living active soil organisms.
Over and over my experience has been that the best soil (humus) medium is decaying matter found under trees. I have found that the sweepings under mature hawthorns provide the very best humus, followed by the droppings of birch and cherry.
Many waterside trees contain salycylic acid.
I steer clear of [the leaves and flowers of] Willows, Poplars and Alders. Experience has shown that the debris from these trees does not enhance humus in Airheads.
This is worth noting for Airhead users trying to make a viable compost on boats on English waterways. It probably goes without saying that I have no time at all for those pretend composters (and pretend off-gridders) who use fibrous matter of low nutrient value which inhibit bacteria.
AirHead literature promotes cocoa shells, coir and suggests using coffee straining filters to catch No.2s on the way down.
No No for me, but I'm happy to use tea leaves, coffee grounds, charcoal dust, eggshells, vegetable peelings and very occasionally the ashes of my heater.
I have TWO Airhead bottoms for which I have lockdown lids and in the winter they live with me in my warm cabinn where the temperature ensure constant bacterial activity. I also keep a constant supply of 'canal-side debris ' on board which is not allowed to freeze or to dry out whether I am practicing aerobic or anaerobic.
Typically I would start with the 'bucket' of humus and debris mix and agitate it every day whether or not a log is dropped. I use my nose to gauge dampness. Good humus always smells good. The secret of good composting depends on the factors mentioned repeatedly: ...
The soil/humus medium should be organic, free from chemicals and pollution and able to support living active soil organisms.
Over and over my experience has been that the best soil (humus) medium is decaying matter found under trees. I have found that the sweepings under mature hawthorns provide the very best humus, followed by the droppings of birch and cherry.
Many waterside trees contain salycylic acid.
I steer clear of [the leaves and flowers of] Willows, Poplars and Alders. Experience has shown that the debris from these trees does not enhance humus in Airheads.
This is worth noting for Airhead users trying to make a viable compost on boats on English waterways. It probably goes without saying that I have no time at all for those pretend composters (and pretend off-gridders) who use fibrous matter of low nutrient value which inhibit bacteria.
AirHead literature promotes cocoa shells, coir and suggests using coffee straining filters to catch No.2s on the way down.
No No for me, but I'm happy to use tea leaves, coffee grounds, charcoal dust, eggshells, vegetable peelings and very occasionally the ashes of my heater.
I have TWO Airhead bottoms for which I have lockdown lids and in the winter they live with me in my warm cabinn where the temperature ensure constant bacterial activity. I also keep a constant supply of 'canal-side debris ' on board which is not allowed to freeze or to dry out whether I am practicing aerobic or anaerobic.
Typically I would start with the 'bucket' of humus and debris mix and agitate it every day whether or not a log is dropped. I use my nose to gauge dampness. Good humus always smells good. The secret of good composting depends on the factors mentioned repeatedly: ...
KEEP IT WARM
OXYGENATE IT
KEEP IT MOVING
KEEP IT MOIST
OXYGENATE IT
KEEP IT MOVING
KEEP IT MOIST
