Читать книгу Make Your Garden Feed You - E. Brown T. - Страница 34

Every opportunity should be taken in the late summer and autumn of collecting fallen leaves. These, when properly rotted down, become what is known as leaf-mould, which is first-class for many different purposes. The leaves as they are collected should be heaped up on a site reserved for them and covered with wire-netting to prevent them being blown all over the place. They should be allowed to remain for ten to twelve months. There is just one point in connection with the making of leaf-mould. Oak and beech leaves should not be added to the heap. They should be reserved for making the hot-bed in the sunk pit, if one is made, or failing this they should not be gathered.

Right throughout the year there is a supply of waste or refuse vegetable stuff; material which is not good enough for the house and not even suitable for the fowls and rabbits. Although unfit for consumption it should certainly not be thrown away, since most of it can be converted into valuable plant food and humus provider with little trouble.

When the various plots are being cleared it will be found that there are two different kinds of refuse. Some of it, like cabbage stumps, does not rot down, but much is soft and succulent and decays rapidly. The former should be consigned to the bonfire—the resulting ashes are extremely useful—but the latter should be stacked. There are two ways of doing this. A heap can be formed on the ground surface, or a hole can be dug and the soft material thrown therein. A 6 ft. by 5 ft. area provides a suitable place, and it is suggested that as there is usually a considerable quantity of refuse to deal with, a pit should be dug.

As the refuse is gathered—surface-rooting weeds, turnip and carrot-tops and the like—it should be deposited in the pit, and now and again a few shovelsful of soil should be scattered on top. In the ordinary garden it is possible to improve the compost greatly by throwing on all the household “ slops,” including soapy water, but this is not a practical suggestion when the allotment is some distance from the house. To obviate any unpleasant odour a little lime may be scattered over the refuse occasionally.