Chapter 07
PUTTING COMPOST TO USE
Some of the many uses of compost are given in this
chapter. Examples are:
➤ fertilizing.
➤ potting soil, nursery soil, planting trees;
➤ erosion prevention.
➤ fish feed.
➤ mushroom growing - (not treated in this Agrodok).
When the compost is ready, it cannot always be used straight away,
and it must be kept for a while until it can be put to use. Care must be
taken that the compost does not lose its fertility during storage.
Caring for the stored compost
Compost should never be left uncovered in the rain or in the sun. The
rain washes out the nutrients and the sun can cause burning. The
compost then loses its fertility.
To reduce this loss the compost should be covered. Some useful
covers are: banana leaves, intertwined palm leaves or a sheet of
plastic.
If the compost is left too long, it may also become a breeding place for
unwanted insects, such as termites and the rhinoceros beetle
(Oryctes rhinoceros).
1 Fertilizing
The advantage of using compost for fertilizing is that it improves soil
fertility in the long run, by improving the soil structure. Organic matter is
the key factor in improving the soil structure. Organic matter contains a
lot of micro-elements important for plant growth and it improves the
water retention capacity of the soil. Another aspect is that compost
releases the nutrients slowly, which means that the effect of compost is
one in the long run.
Artificial fertilizers contain only a few nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus
and Potassium) but of these nutrients the concentration is far higher
than in
,compost. Nutrients from artificial fertilizer are released quickly. This
means that artificial fertilizers are a quick one-off supply of nutrients
to satisfy the needs of a crop.
Adding artificial fertilizer alone is not sufficient to retain a sufficient level
of soil fertility. Organic matter is needed to retain the water and
nutrients. In a degraded soil, where there is no organic matter, yields will
still de-crease, even if artificial fertilizer is added. This means that
whenever artificial fertilizers are being used, the farmer needs to take
care of the organic matter content of the soil. An integrated approach,
combining the application of compost with an application of artificial
fertilizer is a good strategy when a crop quickly needs nutrients.
In the long run artificial fertilizers might even have a negative effect on
the soil, because the soil might become exhausted and degraded if no
organic matter is added, and it might become acid because of the
chemical composition of the fertilizer.
See also Agrodok 2: 'Soil fertility management'.
Application at location where needed
If compost is to be used for direct fertilizing of a field crop on a large
piece of land, a very big quantity will have to be applied. This is a
disad-vantage of compost.
Using compost in the
vegetable garden, or on
small plots of land is very
suitable.
It is important to take care to
apply the compost locally at
the specific places where it is
needed.
Figure 15: Vegetable garden
for example:
➤ When preparing a sowing bed, the compost can be mixed
superficially through the topsoil. The fertile compost is then easily
available for the seedlings.
➤ Apply compost in pits or trenches in which the crops are planted.
This method is particularly useful in dry regions. The crop is planted
in pure compost or compost mixed with topsoil.
, 2. Nursery soil, potting soil, planting trees
Compost is very beneficial for nursing seedlings, either in a seedbed or
nursery where they germinate, or in pots or pits where young plants
and trees are planted. Compost retains the water well, so young plants
will not easily get stressed by water shortage, and they get all the
nutrients they need from the compost.
Figure 16 A:
A nursery bed made of compost
Figure 16 B:
Pots filled with compost
Figure 16 C:
Tree planting;
compost is put in the holes
in which the trees are planted.
Cover the compost again with
the soil from the bottom of the
pit, to prevent the compost
from drying out.
See also Agrodok no. 19:
Propagating and planting trees
PUTTING COMPOST TO USE
Some of the many uses of compost are given in this
chapter. Examples are:
➤ fertilizing.
➤ potting soil, nursery soil, planting trees;
➤ erosion prevention.
➤ fish feed.
➤ mushroom growing - (not treated in this Agrodok).
When the compost is ready, it cannot always be used straight away,
and it must be kept for a while until it can be put to use. Care must be
taken that the compost does not lose its fertility during storage.
Caring for the stored compost
Compost should never be left uncovered in the rain or in the sun. The
rain washes out the nutrients and the sun can cause burning. The
compost then loses its fertility.
To reduce this loss the compost should be covered. Some useful
covers are: banana leaves, intertwined palm leaves or a sheet of
plastic.
If the compost is left too long, it may also become a breeding place for
unwanted insects, such as termites and the rhinoceros beetle
(Oryctes rhinoceros).
1 Fertilizing
The advantage of using compost for fertilizing is that it improves soil
fertility in the long run, by improving the soil structure. Organic matter is
the key factor in improving the soil structure. Organic matter contains a
lot of micro-elements important for plant growth and it improves the
water retention capacity of the soil. Another aspect is that compost
releases the nutrients slowly, which means that the effect of compost is
one in the long run.
Artificial fertilizers contain only a few nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus
and Potassium) but of these nutrients the concentration is far higher
than in
,compost. Nutrients from artificial fertilizer are released quickly. This
means that artificial fertilizers are a quick one-off supply of nutrients
to satisfy the needs of a crop.
Adding artificial fertilizer alone is not sufficient to retain a sufficient level
of soil fertility. Organic matter is needed to retain the water and
nutrients. In a degraded soil, where there is no organic matter, yields will
still de-crease, even if artificial fertilizer is added. This means that
whenever artificial fertilizers are being used, the farmer needs to take
care of the organic matter content of the soil. An integrated approach,
combining the application of compost with an application of artificial
fertilizer is a good strategy when a crop quickly needs nutrients.
In the long run artificial fertilizers might even have a negative effect on
the soil, because the soil might become exhausted and degraded if no
organic matter is added, and it might become acid because of the
chemical composition of the fertilizer.
See also Agrodok 2: 'Soil fertility management'.
Application at location where needed
If compost is to be used for direct fertilizing of a field crop on a large
piece of land, a very big quantity will have to be applied. This is a
disad-vantage of compost.
Using compost in the
vegetable garden, or on
small plots of land is very
suitable.
It is important to take care to
apply the compost locally at
the specific places where it is
needed.
Figure 15: Vegetable garden
for example:
➤ When preparing a sowing bed, the compost can be mixed
superficially through the topsoil. The fertile compost is then easily
available for the seedlings.
➤ Apply compost in pits or trenches in which the crops are planted.
This method is particularly useful in dry regions. The crop is planted
in pure compost or compost mixed with topsoil.
, 2. Nursery soil, potting soil, planting trees
Compost is very beneficial for nursing seedlings, either in a seedbed or
nursery where they germinate, or in pots or pits where young plants
and trees are planted. Compost retains the water well, so young plants
will not easily get stressed by water shortage, and they get all the
nutrients they need from the compost.
Figure 16 A:
A nursery bed made of compost
Figure 16 B:
Pots filled with compost
Figure 16 C:
Tree planting;
compost is put in the holes
in which the trees are planted.
Cover the compost again with
the soil from the bottom of the
pit, to prevent the compost
from drying out.
See also Agrodok no. 19:
Propagating and planting trees
