Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Yes, finished compost can be low in nitrogen esp with high-temperature
composting. But then I don't follow anybody's rules very well, so what I do
is cold composting in place without having to move it later.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/10/2007 at 12:49 AM Dieter Brand wrote:

>Paul,
>  Points well taken. It always depends on what is readily available where
>you are. But when making the comparison of compost versus cover crops and
>mulch, the latter isn’t only superior in labour-efficiency, but also
>involves fewer losses of nutrients, especially N which volatizes quickly.
>With compost, a lot of nutrients are lost in particular during
>high-temperature composting. Well-cured compost of plant residues, great
>for improving soil, is useless as fertilizer.
>  Cover crops can of course be tricky. Last autumn I tried to grow clover,
>which had worked fine the previous year. I tried three times: first it was
>too dry, then the ants got the seed and finally it was too late. So now
>I’m stuck without a cover crop and very little compost into the bargain.
>
>  Regards,
>  Dieter Brand, Portugal
>