Barrel compost activates the soil and soil organisms, encouraging better
soil structure and quicker breakdown of inorganic and organic substances. It is
used to spread the ‘compost’ influences especially when converting farms.
Background
The development Barrel compost grew out of concern with pollution of
Strontium 90 s from atmospheric atomic bomb tests in 1958. Maria Thun and Dr
Ehrenfried Pfeiffer collaborated trialing various substances then cultivating
plants. An unambiguous result was obtained by growing plants with eggshells and
ground basalt; the plants did not incorporate or store any radioactive
Stontium90. They then set about a way to bring these two substances to the
biodynamic farm. Further experiments and trials saw the development of the barrel
compost.
Peter Proctor has developed its use especially on larger farms in
Australia and NZ where there is little compost used. In India he has developed
wide usage of the preparation. Although the barrel compost is made in a similar
fashion all around the world the quantities of compost preparations, egg shells
and basalt used vary although the amount of manure was around 50 litres End
uses also vary see table below.
Very little is written about its use in the home garden. Deb Cantrill
recommends it use for home gardeners on compost heaps, worm farms and to make
the whole garden ‘compost’ by guiding the breakdown process especially where
heavy mulch are used to protect the soil from heat and dryness. Many of the
uses in the table below are also applicable.
Home Garden Barrel Compost.
*This was developed by Deb Cantrill and the Adelaide Hills Biodynamic
Group to encourage and enable home gardeners to have their own supply thus
increasing its frequency of use on the home garden.
To make the Home Garden Barrel Compost
- Bottomless Container* Terracotta pot with bottom cut out.
- 10 litres (1 bucket) good quality firm cow manure
- 1 x 2gram biodynamic compost set
- 125gm Fine rock dust e.g. fish creek
- 50 gm ground egg shells
Method
- Dig a hole 150cm deep and place bottomless container in hole and back fill up sides of container.
- Mix cow manure, rock dust and egg shells using a hand kneading action for 1 hour. You will observe quite a change.
- Place manure mix in container, add compost preparations as per usual.
- Cover manure with a damp hession sack.
- Cover container with waterproof lid.
- After 1 month fork over manure, smooth out and cover again.
- Check every 4 weeks or so. It should be ready in 3 months.
- Remove to storage container and store as per 500.
Preparing the Barrel Compost for use
CCP is generally applied in the afternoon. For a home garden take 20gm
and place in 5 litres warm water. Stir as per 500 for 20 minutes and apply to
selected area as per 500.
Applications
Application
|
benefits
|
Stir
|
timing
|
rate
|
source
|
Soil spray
|
Influence of compost
preps during conversion
|
At least 15m
1hour
20 min
|
Afternoon
Afternoon 3x
Afternoon
|
1kg /40l per acre
100g/portion
500
60g/10litres
20gm
/5litres
|
PPI
PPN
MTL
AHBG
|
In conjunction with
stirring 500.
|
Getting effects of 502/507
over the land
|
Last 15 min of stirring
Last 20min
|
Afternoon
Afternoon
|
100grams per acre
50g per gal
|
PPI
BAA
|
Used on the soil around
all fruit trees
|
as a soil inoculants or
soil conditioner
|
Before mulching trees
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
|
|
Foliar feed on all fruit
trees
|
Strengthen the plants
against possible fungus or insect attack
|
Every 14 days before and
after flowering
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
|
|
Tree paste on bark of
fruit trees
|
Strengthen the bark. This
can bring good soil micro organisms up onto the tree
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
BAA
|
||
Dip roots of all young
trees, shrubs or grapes prior to planting
|
Encourage new root
development
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
|
||
Soak seeds prior to
sowing
|
Encourage root
development
|
Soak for 30 minutes, dry
off , sow immediately
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
BAA
|
|
Dip seed potatoes before
planting
|
This seems to protect the
potato against blight
|
Dip potatoes and dry
before planting.
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
|
|
Soak cuttings
|
Assist root development
|
Soak overnight prior to
planting
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
BAA
|
|
Inoculate compost heap
|
Poured into holes along
top of the heap. Or
Sprinkled into successive
layers while building the heap.
|
1 kg/40 litres for each 5
meters of compost
|
PPI
|
||
Liquid manures
|
Add compost preps
influence
|
Stir 10
minutes
|
1kg/45litre/acre
|
PPI
PPN
|
|
Used as one component of
the sequence of BD sprays of 500,501,502/507 and 508
|
Brings the effect of all
the preparations onto the land over a short period. Gives Strength and
quality to plants
|
1kg/40 litres per acre
|
PPI
|
||
When green
manures are turned in
|
Add compost
preps influence- guide breakdown and humus formation.
|
1x
|
MTL
BAA
|
||
When compost is
applied
|
1x
|
MTL
|
|||
On winter
furrows
|
1x
|
MTL
|
|||
Inoculants in
dairy shed effluent, mainly with flowforms
|
Add compost
preps influence- guide breakdown and humus formation.
|
20 minutes
|
240g /40
litres/
1 bucketful
per 5,000 litres
1kg/1weeks
effluent/100 cows
|
BAA
PPNZ
|
|
Compost tea
|
Brings in
bacteria & fungal activity- humus + trace elements + soil life
|
20 minutes
|
150g per ha
for smaller areas, 75g per ha boardacre
|
BAA
|
BAA Biodynamic Agriculture Australia
PPNZ Peter Proctor various NZ publications
PPI Peter Proctor ‘Biodynamic agriculture in India’
MTL Maria Thun ‘Gardening for Life’
AHBG Adelaide Hills Biodynamic Group.