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Compost crops
(grown specifically
for composting to boost fertility) can be grown easily, and in this county, even if you don’t raise chickens, cattle, horses, etc., there is plenty of manure around, often free for the hauling.
Anyone can make compost, even indoors with a vermiculture bin. Compost is the single most important and effective fertilizing material you could ever add to your soil. Properly made compost, rich in micro and macro- nutrients, will add organic matter, build humus, feed soil animals and adjust ph balance. It contains carbon, which is what plants are made of.
There are many ways to make compost, and Let It Rot!/ Stu Campbell is a very thoroughbook on the subject. Other helpful information can be found in most any organic gardening book. Basically, there are two types of compost aerobic (turned) and anaerobic (unturned).
Anaerobic compost takes longer to decompose, but has a higher carbon content, good for all round soil building, slow feeding of crops. Aerobic compost is better for heavy feeders that need a quick boost of nitrogen in their early stages, such as broccoli, corn, and lettuces. Ideally, it would be best to have each type of compost to work with. I’ve had the best results making anaerobic compost with the biodynamic method. More on that later.
Compost and manure teas and liquid plant “manures” are wonderful homemade fertilizers. To find out about compost teas, go to the soil foodweb site mentioned above. Manure tea is made by steeping a plop of fresh cow or horse manure, tied in a cheesecloth bundle then placed in a lidded bucket of water for several weeks. It is then sprayed as a foliar feed or watered around
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