Recent


Archives


SEO by:
Michael Eakes

Web Development by:
Ryan Wright

plants love humus, too

allow me to approach the claim that a non-invasive influx of organic matter into one's life is a positive event.

what is humus? humus is compost. and compost is plant material that has been broken down by soil organisms, micro and small. in an urban context, the process is often helped along by people, but it would get done anyway -- and it is the digesters that are performing wonders. they eat and recycle plant matter, breaking it down into basic elements readily absorbed by existing plant life. NO WASTE, ONLY FOOD.

depending on your own garden and the amount available, with compost you may:

- spread, around each precious plant in your garden, providing a radius of 8-24", being careful to avoid contact with the crown or stem of the plant -- this can cause rot as the plant would be unable to dry.

- spread thickly, after weeding an area of your garden. plants need water, sun and earth. take away any of these, in theory, and unwanted plants cannot survive. (this approach DOES NOT WORK FOR OXALIS, as it uses energy the sun provided long before you mulched)

- top dress your whole garden, providing: weed suppression; moisture retention; temperate insulation; a gorgeous brown 'look'; immediate, and slow-release nutrition for all.

- turn compost in to beds being prepared for non-native plantings. this fertilizes our sandy bay area substrate, and provides absorbent material so water is retained longer and passes through more slowly.

- top dress all potted plants to slow drying of pots (insulating with a second, nested pot also performs this function)

- make compost tea to feed the leaves and roots of plants. this. is. complicated.
(see www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00030.asp for a thorough explanation)

- give any extra compost to neighbors, friends. introduce more organic matter into their lives. this is positive.

shanti. shanti. peace.

namaste

douglas

Posted 1/12/2007   link

0 Comments:


Post a Comment