So far this year, the weather hasn't been that cold, snowy or rainy so I went to the backyard today to "play" with the mulch piles. I knew the mulch piles needed to be rotated because I've been adding stuff to them and they looked very dry.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, aerobic means living or active, and the word anaerobic means living, active or existing in the absence of free oxygen. Do I have to mention that these are Greek (Hellenic) words? Do I? The prefix "an" of the word anaerobic means "without".
Mulch piles need to be aerated for them to become aerobic. A mulch pile without air becomes anaerobic and this slows down the decomposition process.
Using my pitchfork, I pulled out all of the material and gave it a good toss and every once in a while I added a little hay too. The mixture in some areas was too wet and in most other areas was too dry. I made sure that any clumps of leaves were broken up and everything was nicely mixed up. I found a few larger twigs that I cut into tiny pieces because the materials break down much faster this way. I sprinkled some water and then, using the pitchfork, I tossed everything back. Phew! Done! One down, three more to go.
Once the organic material was in place, I placed a pallet in the front of the opening of the mulch and tied it with a string. The mulch needs three simple things: organic matter, water and air. Too much of any of those three items will slow down the decomposition. I try to turn the mulch about once a month.
In the spring, I will not have to buy any bagged "topsoil" or organic matter from any local garden center. I surround the word topsoil with quotes because it is mostly sand. For the first time this year I am using the Ruth Stout method of gardening. No tilling, no weeding, no watering, just watching the plants grow.
Happy gardening!
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