Bed Prep and Compost
With the topic of bed preparation and compost there are a lot of issues. But with issues there are always solutions, and creating solutions is what my special assignment group is aiming to do so we can create a bountiful garden.
Bed preparation is preparing the bed of soil to grow crops. One method of bed preparation that is effective is double digging. Double digging makes the bed fluffy and very easy for roots to grow in and for water to reach the plants. The process of double digging is quite simple. To double dig a trench has to be dug across the trench horizontally (preferably) and 12 inches deep. Remove that soil and soften up the dirt that was dug out. Then put that soil back into the trench and repeat this process until the entire bed is double dug. It is important not to step on the dirt that has been double dug because this will compress the soil. Compression of soil won’t allow adequate water flow to the plants roots which will then in turn, kill the plants in the long run, and/or stunt their growth. Of course this is only one method used to prepare a bed for planting. There are a lot of different methods that can be used for any garden.
The accomplice to bed preparation is composting. Composting is the decomposing of bio-degradable and organic matter into a conditioner for the soil. Some things that are good for composting are: all organic waste from your garden and kitchen, all fruit, vegetables, flowers and leaves, tea and tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells (preferably crushed), weeds(We should watch out for weed seeds that might make it through composting), grass, shredded twigs, pruning’s and cuttings. Also waste paper including tissues, kitchen towels, newspaper, printer paper, corrugated paper/card and cardboard but not too much; it should all be torn up or crumpled and well mixed in with the rest of the compost. Of course not everything can be composted. There are a lot of things that shouldn’t go anywhere near compost piles as well. Basically anything that is non bio-degradable (anything that cannot break down over time) cannot go into a compost pile for the obvious reason; nothing will happen. Non bio-degradable items include metals, plastics, radioactive waste, etc.
There is more than one way to compost. Different methods of composting include, pile compost, closed bin compost, and worm compost. These are just a few methods on the list of many. Pile composting (also known as heap composting) is a form of composting consisted of throwing bio-degradable materials into a heap and letting the pile decompose over a period of time. The pile should be turned periodically to ensure everything (bio-degradable material) is being decomposed. Closed bin composting is the exact same thing as heap composting except for the fact that all compost contained in a bin. Worm composting is a very good method of composting because worm castings are very rich in nitrogen and other nutrients vital to good soil. Just like bin composting, worm composting is done within a bin. To construct an optimal compost system is quite simple. A compost system can be made from the big would pallets that can be found at a liquor store, and plastic mesh. To start, find a spot where you want your compost bin to be. Once you have found a good location it is time to construct the compost system. Create a box made of three would pallets on the ground and tightly secure them. Once that is done you have created the base of your system. It is good to start some soil from the store, just to make sure the organic matter being put in the bin has something to decompose into. Once that been as been created, keep adding crushed organic matter and bio-degradable material.
When composting it is important to take in account the many different factors that come along with it. Some of these factors include water, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, temperature, and compost starters. It is important to have the right balance of each element because too much or too little of each thing and lengthen the composting process. Water is used in compost for several reasons. The main reason is the keep the soil moist, moist soil provides a home for all the bacteria breaking down matter. Another reason is because water is able to maintain the temperature of the compost when it is at high temperatures, allowing for maximum decomposition. Oxygen is the most essential element, without it there would be no bacteria to break down matter. Oxygen fuels the process that bacteria undergo in compost called respiration (C6H12O6+6O2 (yield) 6CO2+6H2O). Carbon is provides energy to the bacteria in compost. This is also what produces the heat in compost piles. Usually carbon can be found in a lot of dry brown matter. Usually things like wood, straw, and dead leaves. Nitrogen, another important element in composting serves as protein. It is used to reproduce more bacteria. Nitrogen can mainly be found in fruits and vegetables. Temperature is another important factor when composting. The compost heap shouldn’t pass or go below certain temperatures. The maximum temperature that a compost pile can with stand is around 160 °F because if the pile is too hot, the bacteria are at risk of dying because of such a high temperature. The minimum temperature that a compost pile can strive in is 32 °F. At this temperature a certain bacteria called psychrophile starts to multiply and warm up the pile.
With all the advancements in science applied to agriculture today, the future of our compost and crops for that matter isn’t looking so bright. Because of chemical and man-made pesticide use in current agricultural practices across America, farmers are unknowingly slowly killing their crops and the bacteria in the soil. Pesticides are any substances used to kill pests harmful to crops. Herbicides, another form of pesticide used to kill weeds around the crops are just as corrosive as pesticides. The thing is, pesticides and herbicides have chemicals that are actually harmful to the soil. Pesticides kill bacteria in the soil which play a key role in gathering nutrients for the soil. So basically, more pesticides equal more dead plants and less life in the soil, leading to poor nutrition in the soil.
There are pros and cons to pesticides. Some pros are that with the help of pesticides there are claims that people have been saved from diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid that they would have gotten if pesticides weren’t applied to the crops. Pesticides also destroy unwanted pests. Now some of the cons are that pesticides have a negative effect on wildlife and soil. One major con is that approximately 275 weeds and about 500 insects have adapted to or become resistant to at least one pesticide. Because of this adaptation to pesticides, farmers today are losing more crops then in the 1940’s[i].
Pesticides will soon be the major cause of decreasing crop yields each year. This is where the alternatives come in. There are many methods that can be taken into account that will help protect crops and leave absolutely no waste to the environment. The first alternative is the most tiresome of all, and that is handpicking all the weeds in the garden. If a garden is very large, this may not be the best option seeing that a farmer would have to weed the garden for an immense amount of time. Another alternative is technique called “trap planting”[ii]. This is where a plant(s) is/are purposefully planted away from the crops that the farmer wants to keep safe that will definitely attract pest. By using this method, pests will migrate to that plant and then that plant can be removed from the garden. Some examples of trap planting are:
The last method to mention is called “companion planting”[iv]. This is when a crop with a natural repellent is planted next to another crop that has a pest that the other crops repellent repel away. To put it in simpler terms, a crop that repels a certain pest is planted next to a crop that has pest that the first crop repels against. One example of companion planting is with beans. Beans can help a number of different crops. Beans are planted by crops such as “Corn Spinach, lettuce, rosemary, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers”[v]. By doing so, beans repel California beetles, which are pests to the crops I just mentioned. Not only will alternative methods protect the compost, but also the plants growing in them as well.
Alternatives with pesticides aren’t the only thing that people today can do to perfect their gardens. We also need to take into account how the capacity at which we can compost. On average, a household wastes about 14% of the food bought[vi]. According to a study done at the University of Arizona in 2004, roughly 40-50% of produce ready for harvest never gets eaten[vii].With that being said, there needs to be an implementation of compost bins all around America, even around the world at some point. If All Americans composted the 14% of food wasted each year (taken into account what can and can’t be composted), not only would their food go to waste, but this alternative would make for a very sustainable household. As for the 40-50 percent of food wasted on farms, if they implement compost bins on their farm and start composting their food wasted, that would do wonders for their garden because it that would provide even more nutrients for the plants. If Americans could get started on this path of non wastefulness, we could improve the stated of farms across America, and nothing would go to waste.
Alternatives to well know practices known today are the key to a brighter and healthier future for all. All we need to do is take the time to do what is right and make the world a better place.
[i] “Pros and Cons of Pesticides.” 1998. Pesticides. 14. Oct 2009<http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/eh01/pesticides/pro,consof_pesticides.html>.
[ii] Ann R. Waters, “Alternatives to Pesticides”.2009 Pesticide Control Program. 14. Oct 2009<http://www.bernards.org/boards_commissions/green_team/pptdocfolder/Alternative%20Pesticides.pdf>.
[vi] “On average, American households waste 14 percent of their food purchases.” 2004. The Medical News. 14. Oct 2009<http://www.news-medical.net/news/2004/11/23/6445.aspx>.
[vi] http://uanews.org/node/10448
Sources
“Pesticides.”2009.Wikipedia. 14. Oct 2009<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide>.
“Herbicides.”2009.Wikipedia. 14. Oct 2009<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicide>.
“Some Tips on Making Compost” 2001. Envocare. 14. Oct 2009 <http://www.envocare.co.uk/makingcompost.htm>.
“Composting Methods.” University of Illinois Extension. University of Illinois. 14. Oct 2009<http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/homecompost/methods.html#5>.
“Composting with Red Wriggler Worms.” City Farmer. 2009. Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture. 14. Oct 2009<http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html>.
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenprimer/g/Compost.htm
http://www.dinnercraft.com/2009/07/break-it-down-build-your-own-compost-bins/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composting
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