Fallen Branches And Leaves Replace Chemicals: Layered Method Turns Waste Into Super-Soil

Piles of pruned branches and bags of fallen leaves are often treated as waste to be hauled away. In practice they are raw material that can turn exhausted soil into a loose, fertile medium without extra expense. Proper use of plant residues solves the plant-nutrition problem for years, creating a closed fertility loop on the site. How Layering Creates Natural Compost Ventilation Oxygen is essential for converting organic matter into humus; without it the pile becomes a smelly, rotting mass instead of fertilizer. The solution is simple: alternate layers of different density. Coarse material goes on the bottom to act as drainage and draw air upward. "Many gardeners make the mistake of dumping leaves in a dense carpet that cuts off air. If you interleave fine twigs with leaves, the pile develops a kind of skeleton that lets microorganisms work faster," explained agronomist-consultant for summer residents Olga Semyonova in an interview with Pravda.Ru.