Monday 17 February 2014

A Dream: Vertical Garden Composter 2

Inspiration: A dream I had, my previous pallet composter, my love for soil building and complex micro-ecological communities.

Concept: I had a dream a few weeks ago. And in it, I had built this composter and it seemed awesome. So I decided to trial it in real life.
It has two levels where plants can grow (I plan to only grow greens), and the center of both levels is hollow to hold compost. Turns out it's hard to recreate a structure that I dreamed up: dream rules/physics are often slightly different than real life. As I built it, I thought of changes and improvements, but I think it turned out great.

What I know:
  • Given the opportunity, organisms, moisture, temperature, and nutrients do not sit still, but rather are mobile. 
  • The organisms, excess moisture, temperature, and nutrient content of compost is beneficial for soil life and plant life. 
Project:
  1. Build the structure. I made a bottom layer that is 3' x 5', and a top layer that is 2' x 3'. Both levels have a C shaped cavity 12 inches wide that will be filled with soil. 
  2. Nail in the wiring. Although more expensive, the type of wire netting shown in the picture is much more structurally sound than chicken wire, so will be able to hold the soil in place.

  3. Fill outside Cs with soil. I'm just using some leftover soil from my sheet mulch garden and some minor additives. 
    This will give 14 sq. feet of growing space and 7 cubic feet (200 L) of compost.
    The inside is still empty, ready for compost to be added. Also, I added a latch and hinge system for easier access.
  4. Over time, fill inside with organic waste.
  5. Come spring, sow seeds in the soil (I'll update this post in late spring, early summer)

Future:

  • Still need to make a little top lid so that the organic waste is closed up. This will happen when it stops raining and I find the time.
  • Observe the effectiveness of this system. I'm interested to see if the plants excel in this environment. 

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