Dear Reader,
What a summer this is turning out to be! We tripled our orders from last year and found ourselves severely back ordered on the Humisoil. We are currently very slow processing new orders for Humisoil, Bountea Brew Kits or Refills. At this time we are not taking orders for those products through ou r website. All other products are still available.
Check Bountea News on the Home page to keep abreast of developments.
My sincere apologies to any of you who are finding themselves short of the necessary ingredients to brew up the Bountea. As a short-term alternative to the Humisoil, we are offering high quality vermicompost as a compost tea starter. Email us (info@bountea.com) and let us know your needs; we will do our best to provide the best resources possible.
This month provides an abundance of material for your compost pile. Now is the time to make as much compost as you can to provide mulch and sustenance for your plants during the hot season. The article below has lots of pointers on how to keep the flow going.
Enjoy the summer and the produce it brings.
Sincerely,
Roland Evans
Organic Bountea
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July Garden Tasks
(July 15th -- August 15th)
We are deep into the summer season with plants needing protection form the heat and sun. The tasks are similar to last months:- Keep the soil consistently moist with good irrigation and mulch
 - Cut grass and pull weeds regularly -- add to compost pile
- As you harvest salad greens, remember to sow seeds indoors and transplant out every 2 - 3 weeks
- Clear spent plants fast and make as much compost as you can
- Maintain adequate support for tomatoes, cucumbers and pole beans
- Keep on top of pinching out tomato suckers.
- Allow plenty of leafy grow on plants to protect from sunscald
- Keep tomatoes under 85F so they will set fruit
- Consider planting tall sunflowers as shade or stretch shade cloth over scorched plants
Ornamentals: divide irises and Oriental poppies
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Bountea Compost Tea: If you are growing lots of leafy greens continue to add the M3 to every second application of the Bountea. If you want to promote exceptional flowering and fruiting of tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and fruit trees, add B3 instead of the M3. The application rates are the same.
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| Secrets of Making Compost
There are many styles of compost making. Over the years, I have developed a set of procedures that are simple and effective for my environment. Making compost is similar to cooking: you start with a basic recipe and then adjust it to your specific situation. The basic compost ingredients are: organic materials, air, water, microbes and heat.
Containers and Pile Size
 The optimum size for a pile and container is one cubic yard: 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft. The simplest containers are 3-sided bays made of plywood with removable front pieces. Two or three bays make turning easier.- Locate the container in a moderately shady location such as under a tree.
- Always keep the pile covered with a plastic sheet or tarpaulin.
- In a dry climate, do not use a container with air holes. The pile dries too quickly.
- In a wet climate, allow air to circulate but still keep the pile covered.
Materials- Compost ideally requires raw materials with a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 30:1 by weight. In practice that looks like approximately equal volumes of brown (carbon) and green (nitrogen) materials.
- Brown material = all dry woody stuff: stems, hay, straw, old leaves, egg boxes, wood chips and sawdust, unbleached paper towels, old compost, etc.
- Green material = all fresh damp organic stuff: grass clippings, green plants, table scraps including meat and dairy, kitchen waste (coffee grounds, peelings, refrigerator leavings), animal manures (not dogs or cats), etc.
- If the pile looks too brown or does not heat up, add supplemental nitrogen in the form of Bountea M3, alfalfa pellets, and/or animal manures.
- Shred, grind or chop all organic materials into small particles. Use a chipper-shredder if available.
- Layering differing materials works, but shredding and mixing all materials is easier, quicker and more effective.
- Gather material to make a pile that is a minimum of 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 18 ins.
- Adding minerals such as small amounts of M3, wood ash, lime, bone meal, etc. creates excellent nutrients in the compost.
Air
- The microbes in a compost pile are aerobic and require oxygen to propagate. Keep piles dense and contained, but with small air pockets.
- To little air (too much water or nitrogen) creates anaerobic conditions causing slimy, smelly piles. Loosen and turn the pile with a fork to let air in.
- Too much air creates loose piles with empty spaces that never heat up. Compact the pile by chopping up the material and tamping it down.
Water
- The optimum moisture content is 50%-60% by weight; this feels like a damp but nor soggy sponge. Microbes need water to reproduce and move around.
- Piles with porous brown material need more watering to start.
- Piles with more wet green material need less water.
- If the pile looks soggy, add more brown material, loosen and turn with a fork.
- Surround the pile with the plastic sheet or tarpaulin if there is a chance it will dry out.
Microbes and Heat
- Under good conditions compost goes through 3 phases: the pile heats up to around 150F over 2 - 3 days; the pile stays hot for 1 - 2 weeks; the pile cools down and continues to degrade over a longer period.
- To optimize microbial life, inoculate the pile with Bountea Compost Tea, a cup of Bountea Bioactivator or a quart of Humisoil mixed in well.
- Insulate the pile with old blankets, comforters or carpet to keep the heat contained.
- Some pile may get very hot (170F) and start steaming. Turn the pile after 7 - 10 days to mix materials and adjust the temperature.
- Allow the pile to cool down for at least 2 weeks before using. Worms, insects and microbial life will continue to decompose the compost for months.
- Turn the cool pile as necessary to keep the compost texture uniform.
Now you have the most beneficial material for your soil -- rich in humus, microbes and nutrients. Use it everywhere.
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