Making Organic Compost

In this new issue of Crowd foresting, I wish to introduce two persons. This is Mithun. And this is his brother Milan. Mithun has just completed his M. Tech. in optoelectronics from Cochin University. Milan is in the fifth standard. Theirs is a farmer family. The mother is enthusiastic about banana cultivation. Interest in farming has been part of their family tradition.

Many people ask me how we can make Miyawaki forests at a less expensive rate. I offer them a lot of suggestions but all that is based on guesswork because I don’t have the time to conduct experiments in order to find out cheaper methods. My aim now is to plant as many trees as possible before I meet my Maker! But I am happy that the new generation is interested in experimentation. I’m seeing Mithun for the first time today. Until now we had only talked over phone. Mithun has found out a few methods for bringing down the cost of farming, and they may be of use to you. Let Mithun himself talk about them. Those of you who wish to create a Miyawaki forest in a one-cent plot close to your house can try them out. Milan too is part of Mithun’s efforts. You made him dig the site, I heard! Didn’t you employ people for the work?

No. We did the digging on our own in the beginning. But after we dug about a quarter feet, we struck laterite stone, and then digging further became hard. So we had to employ workers for two days.

The stone seems solid enough for use in constructing buildings. The pit has been dug fairly deep now. What method did you follow to bring down the cost of manure?
Wood shavings are easily and freely available at saw mills. At first, I bought them. I was duped by a man. Later, another man allowed me to take wood shavings for free. Getting dry cow dung during the rains is difficult. So we can buy fresh cow dung and mix it with wood shavings. And that will become manure.

Can you tell us about the processes involved in preparing the compost?
There are many types of compost. There is the vermicompost but we need earthworms for that. What we had were wood shavings. It could not be mixed with vermicompost. So I opted for hot composting. First, I studied how wood shavings could be utilized for making compost. Actually, I did not look for the different methods of making compost. I specifically wanted to convert wood shavings into compost.

So you wanted to find out a method to use the wood shavings you had in possession?
Yes.

You didn’t have to dig a pit for that?
No. I merely untied this net you see here, and shifted it to another spot.

Was it not here in the beginning?
No. I might have shifted it twenty times by now.

Is this to be shifted?
Yes. You might think that it will remain hot all the time. But that is not so. In five days’ time, it will cool down. We do this in order to maintain heat at 55 to 65 degree Celsius. We have to cut the edges of this pile, and put it in the middle of the next pile. So the middle part will come on the top once again. In this manner, the sides will be shorn, and this is how we keep filling it.

Branches pruned from trees can be used in this fashion . . .
But those pieces should not be very thick because they do not decompose easily.

They use a machine in Tamil Nadu.
Yes, for shredding. I considered that option. It can indeed be used to make small pieces. But it will consume time. The pile should be of larger size. They should not be very small. This is the optimal size, if it is to be useful.

We will definitely be experimenting with this method. If you can explain it step by step . . .
This pile was a huge one. But in course of time, it shrunk and came to this size.
A huge pile got reduced . . .
It was an enormous pile. We did not have a net then. It was so high then . . .

When you began the process, the pile was really huge.
We did not put it in the net in the beginning. We merely gathered them in a mound. In 25 days’ time, it will begin to get darker in colour. It would be better to transfer it into a net at that point. If we use a net in the beginning, we will have to buy a huge one.

So use a net after the pile subsides a little . . .
Indeed.

The next step is to shift it to the other side. So we should make provision for more space.
We should sprinkle water.
Is it?
After we spread a layer of wood shavings, we spread a layer of cow dung over it. Then we should sprinkle water generously. Then put the next layer. This procedure should be repeated.

If you had not said this, we would have missed that step altogether. Anything else to be done?
Every time it is shifted . . . you should hold it in your hand. Observe the texture. It should stick to form lumps but not drip water. If it holds water, it will be useless.
I understand. And when it rains . . .
We cover it with a tarpaulin sheet. It should never be left exposed. If rainwater falls and it gets really wet, it will not become manure.
So we should sprinkle water in the beginning. And then cover the mound with a tarpaulin sheet.

Let me give you a summary of what Mithun said. Heap wood shavings, that you get from furniture shops or houses under construction, at a place. Put fresh cow dung on top of it and pour some water on the heap. Now cover it with a sheet. This will generate heat inside, and convert the mixture into compost. After five days, this heat will decrease. At that point, remove the cover, and shift the heap to another spot. As you do it, chip at the mixture on the outermost part first to begin making the next heap, and continue the process so that what lies deep inside the first mound gets placed on top of the next. After sprinkling water, and covering the new heap with a cover, leave it undisturbed for another five days. This process should be repeated 20 times so that at the end of 100 days, the compost will be ready. But by then, only a small fraction of the original mound will remain. In order to prevent chickens from disturbing it, fixing a net around the mound is advisable. In the end when you hold the compost in your hand, it will be moist but will not drip water. Please test this method yourself. If you have more doubts, you may contact him directly. We will provide his number at the end of this programme.

When I spoke to you over phone earlier, I was amazed that an engineer was using cow dung to make compost. It was after meeting and talking to you directly that I came to see the science behind the process. That is why your experiment is very successful.

What are you doing with the husk of tender coconuts? They have gone dry.
I bought them three months back when they were available. Now it is the rainy season. Besides, with the corona infection, no shops are open. I collected all this from a man’s compound. I had double the quantity initially. Over time, it got dry.
You should have sorted them out into two piles. The big ones could have been used to create a layer at the bottom of the pit.
I dug the pit only recently. I bought the husk three months back.
You can spread them in the pit now. It will eventually decompose. But it will take time.
I should use quick lime powder to do it. I learnt that after seeing your video. I should spread quick lime powder at the bottom . . .
What we collected were husks that were decomposing by the wayside. We used quick lime powder to kill pests so that they would not inflict any damage on the saplings.

Have you transferred the saplings into grow bags?
Yes.
How many are you going to plant here?
Thirty-six.
You have an exact number in mind!

We had bought a Queen-of-the-night sapling. The fragrance of the flower attracted a red fly that ate up the very stem. So we planted curry leaf sapling in its place. We lost a couple of plants. Then we went to the agriculture office and bought a bottle of bioneem oil. We put five drops of bioneem oil in 10 ml of water and added soap water as well, and sprayed the liquid over the plants.

If you want to raise 36 plants, you must plant 45. You should not expect all the plants to grow.
Yes, I have identified a couple of saplings close by, as backup. I’ll use them by and by.

The land is laterite. So it is not fertile. So we used Jeevamrutham.
Subhash Palekar’s, isn’t it? Also add dung and urine of cows that belong to native species, jaggery, any type of beans or chick pea . . .
Bone powder, chick pea oil cake, neem oil cake.
Bone powder is not recommended.
I added it on my own. Besides, I have collected dry leaves for mulching.
You have plenty of dry banana leaves here. You can cut and spread them too.
Yes, of course. I have also identified bamboo leaves for the purpose. That’s my plan.

When we do these things in our own compound, we should have a definite plan. But that may not be possible if you don’t have much time or you’re working on public land or on a large expanse of land. The greatest advantage is that most people can do it even in the smallest of plots. Your model is a good one.

We have come here a second time. Our earlier visit had been two weeks back. They had been ready to plant all the saplings. Now the planting has been done, and everything is in place. This area comes to nine sq. m. or 90 sq. ft. That is, a quarter of a cent of land. This should serve as an example of how you can create a Miyawaki forest in your own compound. Mincy and her two sons, Mithun and Milan. Let us ask them. Their father also supports them.

How many saplings have you planted?
We had planned for 36, at the rate of four in every one-sq. m. segment. After the planting was done, we had more space left. So we planted four more. Now we have a total of 40.
Branches have grown on the sides. Gradually, you will have to prune them. Cut these branches you see here. Let all the main stems grow to the same height without any branches. Otherwise, only one or two will shoot up. How much did all this cost approximately?
Around 20, 000 to 25,000 rupees, including the cost of the saplings.

What was the logic behind setting apart Rs 25,000 on an experiment?
Let youngsters also come into farming. The new generation should be in touch with our soil. We did not give them Rs 25,000 as a lump sum. We spread it over two-three months, and took forward everything else too. Gave them money in instalments of 5,000 and 10,000 rupees.

We have now learnt a new technology from Mithun. An optoelectronics student has taught us a new farming method. The usual practice is to dip plants in hormones like Rootex for quickening their growth. But there is an alternative that Mithun will teach us.

This is a mulberry stem. If you want the roots to form quickly, remove the skin of a small portion of the stem, dip it in a beaten solution of the jelly of an aloe vera leaf for half an hour and plant it. The other option is to insert the stem into a piece of aloe vera leaf, and plant it. The jelly will decompose in course of time and the roots will form quickly.

Where did you get the idea from?
The internet.

How long have you been doing this?
I developed all the mulberry saplings in this manner. I have planted a mulberry sapling there also. The plant will take root very fast.

Have you tried this with any other species, besides mulberry?
You can do it with any plant. This is a good substitute for the rooting hormone.

Milan, everyone tells me you’re a great farmer. Is it true?
Yes.

How did you make this rose bush sprout?
Take banana skin, onion peels and egg shells, and leave them in a litre of water for three days inside an airtight container. Then filter the liquid into a glass. Add two glasses of water to it, and use it to irrigate the rose bush.

So you were diluting it. Where did you learn this from?
I saw it on YouTube.

Was the experiment successful?
Yes.

How many days did it take for the new shoots to appear?
Two-three days.
Yes, new shoots appeared.
I use dried-and-powdered banana skin too as manure.
You’re doing good farming work. I hear you’ve earned the nickname Karshakashree [Master Farmer] in the locality!
Hmm.
You must win the real Karshakashree Award.

I have two reasons for introducing Mithun to you. The first, Mithun is an optoelectronics engineer who earned 8.5 grade points out of 10 for his M. Tech. degree. And yet, he makes compost on his own. During my school days, if any student slackened in their studies, the teachers usually dismissed them saying, “Get lost and collect cow dung instead!” or “Go and learn how to yoke bulls”. The implication was that such manual work was demeaning. Here, you see an M. Tech. man making compost with his own hands and creating Miyawaki forests. It is indeed heartening. Everyone speaks about the nobility of manual labour but very few practise it. That is the first reason for introducing Mithun to you.

The second is that they spent nearly Rs 20,000 to create a Miyawaki forest in a quarter cent of land. They did a good part of manual labour on their own. So one cent of Miyawaki cost them Rs 80,000. Many people enquire how much it would cost if they created a Miyawaki forest on their own. In Mithun’s case, they got a lot of material for free. They made compost on their own. If you were purchase cow dung powder, the cost would go up. If you create a Miyawaki forest in public land, you’ll have to put up a fence, and make arrangements for irrigation. These are the factors that raise the cost to Rs 1,60,000 per one cent of land.

Here, this was made possible with Rs 20,000 in a quarter cent of land. A few people have enquired about the benefits of this method. Forty saplings have been planted here in a quarter cent of land. Imagine that 20 of them grow really well. The usual practice is to set apart ten sq. m. of land for one plant. If you were to reduce to five sq. m., you would still require two-and-a-half cents of land for 20 plants. Here, they have planted 40 saplings in a quarter cent of land. So we have saved on space. The second benefit is that we will be able to plant all the fruit trees we like. We should not expect to have other crops from this kind of arrangement. But if we are able to maintain it well, we can hope for good returns. And we will get the additional benefit of a sense of gratification, which is priceless. So I present this model to you so that whoever is interested may try it out for themselves.