Direct Composting Saves Garden Space and Time

It seems yards are getting smaller as builders try to cram more and more houses onto less acreage. If you love organic gardening, these tiny lots may not leave space for a proper compost pile. Gardening in small spaces doesn't have to rob you of the opportunity to return organic matter to the soil.

What is Direct Composting?

Direct composting is simply incorporating your organic waste directly into the soil, where it decomposes. It's an efficient way to enrich the soil while keeping waste out of the landfills.

What are the Benefits?

Native Americans used direct composting for hundreds of years. You've probably heard of how they would bury fish under the planting holes to feed the crops as they grew. Although modern methods don't usually include fish, they can include anything you would normally add to a compost pile. The benefits of direct composting are adding organic matter to the soil and that the nutrients from the decomposing waste are fed directly to the plant roots. The organic matter in the soil attracts earthworms, which aerate and enrich the soil with their droppings.

How is it Done?

The most common way to add organic matter directly into the soil is trench composting. There are two methods of trench composting: pre-planting and post-planting.

The first method is to dig a 12- to 14-inch-deep trench where you plan to plant your seeds or starter plants. Fill the bottom of the trench with about 4 inches of organic material, which can be anything from leaves and grass clippings to organic kitchen waste. Cover it with soil, water it in well, and let it sit for two weeks before planting. I used to bury oak leaves in my vegetable garden every year before planting, and the vegetables grew like mad.

After your plants are growing, you can dig a 6-inch-deep trench 6 to 8 inches away from the plant and bury your organic matter in the garden soil. Some gardeners will dig the trench between the rows in a vegetable garden. Be sure to bury the scraps deep enough so that animals won't dig them up, because if they can smell them, believe me, they will dig and damage your plant roots. A little yeast placed into the hole will help them decompose more quickly.

Direct Composting in Container Plants

Because of soil pest and disease problems, I always grow my tomatoes and peppers in large containers. This makes it more challenging to use direct composting, but it can be done with a little more work. I've used this method on not only vegetables, but ornamentals in large containers with great results.

Add organic kitchen scraps to a blender and add water about halfway to the top of the scraps. Blend them until they are as close to liquid as possible. Poke several 6-inch deep holes into the soil around the plant with a 1-inch diameter stake and pour about 3 inches of liquid into the hole. Cover it with soil to keep animals and insects out. Only use this method about once a month, to give the organic matter time to fully decompose and be taken up by the roots.

I find a compost pile to be a lot of work, even if you have room for one. Direct composting is a clean and simple way to dispose of kitchen scraps while feeding your garden. It's a wonderful way to recycle organic matter back into the soil and reduce your carbon footprint. With very little effort, you too can be a steward of the earth.

References:

Direct Composting in Your Vegetable Garden