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Sheet composting (Greetings/ Intro)

polenta-brain <polenta-brain@mindspring.com> wrote:

> Doreen, what's a quick def of "sheet composting"????
> Thanks, Judy

> Judy (zone 7, close-in SS, MD)

Hi Judy,

Sheet composting simply composting right on your garden bed.  You can
bury materials slightly or leave them on the surface.

In a larger context sheet composting is an integral part of no-till
gardening.  No-till is an ongoing topic of discussion on the Organic
Gardening and Agrisynergy lists.  Essentially what is done is organic
matter is layered on the surface of the bed and allowed to decompose in
place. No turning in, no burying.  It sounds simple (and it is) but there
is a lot of science behind it that supports the technique.  It mimics
nature's layering of dead material on the surface.  By not disturbing
the soil the organisms that live there flourish, rapidly decomposing
the material at the soil level and developing the structure of the soil
below.  Mycorrhizal fungi flourish, and act as an extension of many plants'
roots, greatly enhancing their capacity for taking up nutrients.  Other
fungi flourish, including those which produce glomalin, a sticky protein
which holds soil aggregates together, increasing the soil porosity and
nutrient holding capacity.  Bacteria and other organisms that break
down matter at the surface flourish.  The earthworm population is
greatly enhanced, and these and other small animals willingly till the
soil, moving organic matter deeper into the soil and loosening it.
All of these organisms are very sensitive to disturbance.

Cheers!

--
 Bob Carter  -  bcarter@awinc.com
 Kootenay Bay, BC, Canada  -  Zone 6b
--

...ywercs lla og tsuj sgniht semitemoS

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