Ploughing, compost, mulch, 'preparations',etc.

[Guest guest]

Samba das wrote:

>I have a few questions regarding the above subjects.

 

>In the 'Lost Science of Organic Cultivation'. It is mentioned that

>composting is a far superior method of soil fertilisation, than the

>application of a green mulch which is ploughed into the soil. The argument

>is given (I cant remember exactly) that the soil cannot obtain the full

>amount of nitrogen from the mulch due (I think) to oxidisation (or some

>other cause). Therefore it is reccomended to compost such mulch before

>adding to the soil.

 

>I can understand that this may be the case when you take soil which is not

>already humus rich, and is somewhat depleted.

 

 

>composting is a far superior method of soil fertilisation, than the

>application of a green mulch which is ploughed into the soil.

 

This is certainly the case in India, where the climate is too dry. 'It is

useless to try to manufacture a nitrogenous fertilizer under conditions that

cannot be controlled.'

Some people have tried to irrigate their green manure efforts, but this is

also futile as water is far too rare to do this now. Therefore compost

manufacture is the most viable method of creating instant fertility in

conjunction with MULCHING ON TOP OF THE COMPOST! This is an excellent idea.

Mulching actually if done right is a means of composting on a field scale

but the fertility effects are much slower. But moisture retention is first

class.

 

AND IT IS A QUESTION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.

If you have abundant waste products from land or from a temple and toilets.

THEN YOU SHOULD MAKE COMPOST WITH IT, employing the Satvik Indore Toilet

system. And this applies to any temperate or tropical zone farms/holding.

 

The soil is overworked when such material is turned in due to lack of

moisture. The crop takes all the moisture from the soil to do this and also

the nitrogen. Thus any crop grown on this system will be poor. And the soil

will be overworked as it is trying to provide nitrogen for two items at the

same time.

 

There is every chance your soil is well depleted.

 

So If it is at all possible to import organic waste from nearby I would

highly recommend the effort. Compost makes itself. All you have to do (in

India) is just watch it and chant! One man can make 250 tons a year.

 

 

 

 

 

If you do crack compost manufacture - all details supplied in the book it is

best to mulch anyway, as well, or to plant your green manure crop (on top)

between rows. I have natural seeding cultured weeds that do this ie. chick

weed. Then as you say you cut before seeding (but let some of the right

weeds seed) and simply leave on surface as another mulch. DO NOT TURN IT IN.

You can also compost some of it, (as you need 30% introduced into animal

bedding at any one time. The cows will love it and they will begin the next

faze of the composting operation in the stalls.

 

 

>However Fukuoka and the permaculture method reccomends green mulching and

>states that its positive attributes are that it preserves up to 75% of

>moisture of the soil which would be lost to evaporation, and it also

>controls the growth of weeds.

 

But we must remember he was operating in Japan - different climate.

 

Also he was an old man...he said who couldn't get round to making any

compost. He instead waited 25 years to turn a barren hillside into a forest

garden.

 

Have you got 25 years?

 

Compost turns garbage and stool into the most fertile earth in 90 (ninety)

days! And according to Billington, the effect can last in the ground for 30

years.

 

>In this case we are not simply adding a mulch on the surface, we are also

>leaving the nitrogen rich roots in the soil, along with the nitrogen that

>the living plant fixed there. If I am correct, we should also sow the seeds

>of the crop we want to grow into the clover sometime before harvesting the

>clover, to allow the crop to take advantage of the nitrogen fixed during

>the clovers growth.

 

In my opinion you're absolutely correct! This is advanced agriculture.

If you find out what you can intercrop you can plant three crops

simultaneously (different planting times) see One Straw Revolution or

Natural Farming (more detail).

 

If your soil can cope with this ,then with good mulching you can increase

fertility year by year. But adding even as little as one eighth inch thick

you will be doing wonders. I always had visions of crop spraying with with a

similar mixture to a 501 preparation (Steiner) but simply with fully

synthesized humus in water suspension! The effect would be the same.

 

Remember Fukuoka would go to the trouble to get and apply chicken manure to

all his straw mulches..This is in fact compost manufacture also. Not just

mulching.

 

Neither him nor Mollison get into the final element in the chain of

recycling nutrients. And that is the Human element. We have fully dealt with

this missing link in The Lost Science of Organic Cultivation.

 

>Anyway he presented all sorts of proofs regarding the efficacy of the

>'preparations'. it occured to me that in a traditional Indian farm, cows

>horns would have been available, from animals that died of natural causes,

>and that if such horns were available they could be used.

 

Yes, Prabhupada and Howard said that all the cow should be used when it has

died naturally. Throwing into the Ganga etc is simply causing pollution and

more disease. The bones ground up are a very good fertilizer..

You see now, we do none of these things properly, we don't want to deal with

the dead cow so we throw in river. It is employemt for someone to make

preparations and tan leather. Why waste. All that comes from the earth

should be returned to it. Make Mother earth an offering and she will

reciprocate.

 

Moon planting calendars can be obtained, (maybe Auroville) or a good book

shop, but I rely on the Howard method - he said fully organic seeds are

extremely potent and I have seen the planting at any time in the month work

virtually 100%.