1. Make the soil firm, anddig a trench around for excess water to flow into.

2. Stack up about six(6)inches high: grass; do not compress.

3. Put over the grass about1-2 inches thick of animal manure. Urea or ammonium sulfate,about 1-2 kilos may also be used if available.

4. Put one-inch thick ofrich soil mixed with wood ashes, lime over the pile.

5. Repeat the process overthe pile until about 1 1/2 meters high.

6. Water the pile to makeit moist.

7. Thrust a pipe(s) or bamboopole(s) with holes to allow air to penetrate the bottom ofthe pile.

8. After three weeks, turnthe compost over with the aid of a garden fork. This is easilydone by transferring into another pile so that the bottomlayer will now be on top, etc.

9. Turn the compost againbottom up after 5 weeks. Wait for 4 weeks more to allow completecomposting.

10. In hot weather, the compostmust be watered. In rainy days, cover the compost with bananaleaves.

11. The pile of compost willbe hot. This means that the bacteria in it are working.

12. Composting can also behastened with a chemical for this purpose.

From: Philippine Farmer'sJournal Supplement

August 1980

Making Compost in14 Days

Nutrients in the soil getdepleted gradually, so it is necessary to replenish thesewith fertilizers. Natural fertilizers can be made withoutexpenses, and their use give no harm to the environment.

As farm wastes decompose,the carbon and oxygen that mix together cause the wastes toheat up. Thus, six(6) part of straw and grasses(which arerich in carbon) are mixed with one(1) part nitrogen-rich materialslike ipil-ipil, hagonoy, chicken manure and the like.

Materials:

1. Farm wastes: leaves, straw, hull, grasses/weeds)fresh and dried)

2. Fresh animal manure: carabao's cow's horse's ,chicken, etc.

3. Kerosene can or basket

4. Eight (8) pieces posts from ipil-ipil, about 2" - 3" diameter, 5' high

5. Bamboo

6. Shovel, garden fork, bolo

Procedure

1. select a shady place inyour yard that is somewhat elevated and does not lodge water

2. enclose about 5 ft squarearound the post: allow space for air at the bottom

3. Preparation:

a.) First day - Cut up intoabout 3" 4" the farm wastes; wet these or soak for5minutes in water. If they are plenty, spray water on themound;

- mix with equal amount offresh animal manure;

- mix well together.

- Stack up the enclosed placewith this until 4 ft. high.

b.) Second day. See if thepile is getting heated up. If not, sprinkle with dissolvedfresh manure. It is important to have this heat within 24-48hours. This heat will kill the microbes (especially if manureis used and the seeds of weeds and grasses.

c.) Third day, Reverse thepile, see if it is heating up. Keep it moist but not wet.If it's still not hot . sprinkle with dissolved manure.

d.) Seventh day- reversethe pile again, see if it's heating up, keep moist.

e.) Tenth day- the pile mustbe cooling now, which means the compost is done.

f.) 14th day- the resultingcompost is ground(pulverized), dark and course soil. If desired,let it stay longer to decompose because of their natural barkor coating that takes long to deteriorate.

From: AT Focus 1984 atResearch

August 1985

1. Application ofLime

Lime is mixed with the soilto enrich it with calcium and to lessen the soil's acidity.The soil's degree of acidity is determined through a soilchemical analysis.

Lime for farming is groundlimestone, spread over the field before plowing.

The application of lime mustbe one month before the application of other fertilizers.This is because it is not good to mix lime with ammonia -it will cause nitrogen to disappear into air. If lime is mixedwith phosphate, this will not dissolve and so will not beof any advantage to the plant.

To benefit most from these,put all the lime necessary at one application. If the advisedquantity is more than three(3) tons and this will happensto be unaffordable, the application may be halved until thewhole amount is applied up to five (5) years.

It is better to apply thelime at the beginning of the land preparation. Broadcast thelime over the field before plowing. Then one month after,before planting, apply the fertilizer.

From: Principles in the Applicationof Fertilizers

Bureau of Soils January 1990

How to Make Compost

1.  Make the soil firm,and dig a trench around for excess water to flow into.

2.  Stack up about six(6)inches high: grass; do not compress.

3.  Put over the grassabout 1-2 inches thick of animal manure. Urea or ammoniumsulfate, about 1-2 kilos may also be used if available.

4.  Put one-inch thickof rich soil mixed with wood ashes, lime over the pile.

5.  Repeat the processover the pile until about 1 1/2 meters high.

6.  Water the pile tomake it moist.

7.  Thrust a pipe(s)or bamboo pole(s) with holes to allow air to penetrate thebottom of the pile.

8.  After three weeks,turn the compost over with the aid of a garden fork. Thisis easily done by transferring into another pile so that thebottom layer will now be on top, etc.

9.  Turn the compostagain bottom up after 5 weeks. Wait for 4 weeks more to allowcomplete composting.

10. In hot weather,the compost must be watered. In rainy days, cover the compostwith banana leaves.

11. The pile of compostwill be hot. This means that the bacteria in it are working.

12. Composting can alsobe hastened with a chemical for this purpose.

From: Philippine Farmer'sJournal Supplement

August 1980

Making Compost in14 Days

Nutrients in the soil getdepleted gradually, so it is necessary to replenish thesewith fertilizers. Natural fertilizers can be made withoutexpenses, and their use give no harm to the environment.

As farm wastes decompose,the carbon and oxygen that mix together cause the wastes toheat up. Thus, six(6) part of straw and grasses(which arerich in carbon) are mixed with one(1) part nitrogen-rich materialslike ipil-ipil, hagonoy, chicken manure and the like.

Materials:

1.  Farm wastes: leaves, straw, hull, grasses/weeds)fresh and dried)

2.  Fresh animal manure: carabao's cow's horse's ,chicken, etc.

3.  Kerosene can or basket

4.  Eight (8) pieces posts from ipil-ipil, about 2" - 3" diameter, 5' high

5.  Bamboo

6.  Shovel, garden fork, bolo

Procedure

1. select a shady place inyour yard that is somewhat elevated and does not lodge water

2.  enclose about 5ft square around the post: allow space for air at the bottom

3.  Preparation:

a.) First day - Cut up intoabout 3" 4" the farm wastes; wet these or soak for5minutes in water. If they are plenty, spray water on themound;

- mix with equal amount offresh animal manure;

- mix well together.

- Stack up the enclosed placewith this until 4 ft. high.

b.) Second day. See if thepile is getting heated up. If not, sprinkle with dissolvedfresh manure. It is important to have this heat within 24-48hours. This heat will kill the microbes (especially if manureis used and the seeds of weeds and grasses.

c.) Third day, Reverse thepile, see if it is heating up. Keep it moist but not wet.If it's still not hot . sprinkle with dissolved manure.

d.) Seventh day- reversethe pile again, see if it's heating up, keep moist.

e.) Tenth day- the pile mustbe cooling now, which means the compost is done.

f.) 14th day- the resultingcompost is ground(pulverized), dark and course soil. If desired,let it stay longer to decompose because of their natural barkor coating that takes long to deteriorate.

From: AT Focus 1984 atResearch

August 1985

1. Application ofLime

Lime is mixed with the soilto enrich it with calcium and to lessen the soil's acidity.The soil's degree of acidity is determined through a soilchemical analysis.

Lime for farming is groundlimestone, spread over the field before plowing.

The application of lime mustbe one month before the application of other fertilizers.This is because it is not good to mix lime with ammonia -it will cause nitrogen to disappear into air. If lime is mixedwith phosphate, this will not dissolve and so will not beof any advantage to the plant.

To benefit most from these,put all the lime necessary at one application. If the advisedquantity is more than three(3) tons and this will happensto be unaffordable, the application may be halved until thewhole amount is applied up to five (5) years.

It is better to apply thelime at the beginning of the land preparation. Broadcast thelime over the field before plowing. Then one month after,before planting, apply the fertilizer.

From: Principles in theApplication of Fertilizers

Bureau of Soils January1990

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