Composting straw and leaves as fertilizer is not strange to farmers. So, what principles should be followed when composting and how is composting most effective? We will answer your questions below.
2000 years ago, people knew how to use organic fertilizers to fertilize plants. Today, despite advances in science, the application of organic fertilizers is more necessary than ever. If in the past people only produced organic fertilizer according to “instincts and estimates”, now there are specific formulas and quantities. In this article, we will mention how to compost straw and leaves with a biological product called is Trichoderma.
1. The role of organic fertilizer in life
, we need to learn carefully what organic fertilizer is and the uses of how is it? From there, you can have a more accurate view of organic fertilizer!
1.1 What is organic fertilizer?
Basically understood, organic fertilizer is a type of fertilizer made from organic ingredients. Besides, depending on the composting material, other ingredients can be added such as chemical fertilizers, molasses, and microbial products.
Organic fertilizers are made from natural ingredients
Organic fertilizers contain optimal amounts of nutrients and are environmentally friendly so they are increasingly widely used. Currently this type of fertilizer is used to fertilize both short-term and perennial plants.
See more details:
- How to compost cow manure using proper plant fertilizer techniques
- What is organic fertilizer? How to make organic fertilizer at home
- Detailed ways to compost organic chicken manure to use as fertilizer for plants most
Thanks to strong microbial activity, organic fertilizer helps farmers increase crop productivity, increase soil fertility in the next crop. Therefore, organic fertilizer can be used as both a base fertilizer and as a fertilizer during the planting period.
1.2 General uses of organic fertilizer
As mentioned above, organic fertilizers have the ability to provide large amounts of nutrients, protect the environment, help develop sustainable production, so they should be a top priority in the agricultural sector.
Convenience
All kinds of things such as fruit peels, seeds, leaves, straw,… can all be used to produce organic fertilizer. These ingredients are right in the garden, easy to find, and readily available. Furthermore, people can also take advantage of the land to compost organic fertilizer. It’s really extremely convenient, isn’t it
Nutritional supplements
Chemical fertilizers contain nutritional components to provide for plants, that is undeniable. However, farmers need to mix many types of chemical fertilizers to get enough nutrients. But using organic fertilizer is a combination of nutrients without adding any other chemical fertilizers.
Health protection
It is true that use of chemical fertilizers affects human health. From mild consequences such as abdominal pain to the development of cancer, partly due to the use of food contaminated with toxins from chemical fertilizers.
Conserve water
After destruction, chemical fertilizers will gradually seep into the ground, affecting water sources. Surely people will not want to see the image of their descendants no longer having clean water for daily use.
Save costs
In the past, instead of spending a lot of money to buy fertilizer, now people can compost at home. This will save a huge amount of money on fertilizer costs.
Special flavors
There is no clear research to say that chemical fertilizers affect the taste of fruits and vegetables. But it is certain that using organic fertilizer can bring the freshest flavor to vegetables and fruits. That’s why when we go to small villages, we find that the vegetables there are more delicious, fragrant and the unique flavor of the vegetables is retained to the fullest.
2. Straw and leaves – “Golden” ingredients in organic fertilizer production
In Vietnam More than 70% of households specialize in agriculture. That is why our country is the world’s largest exporter of rice and fruits. Because of the attention paid, each year the amount of straw and leaves reaches nearly 50 million tons (for straw).
Currently, many people choose to burn them. Although this method is simple and quick, it carries many negatives. From releasing large amounts of C02 into the environment, to destroying huge sources of nutrients from straw and dry leaves.
Nearly 50 million tons of straw need to be processed every year
To solve this problem, apply organic fertilizer production to fully utilize discarded materials to create good fertilizer. So what effects does manure from composting straw and leaves have on plant growth?
⫸ See more: How to compost rice husks and peanut shells to quickly rot details most
⫸ See more: How to compost and use coffee peels as plant fertilizer
⫸ See more: How to compost green manure using plant fertilizer
2.1 Effects of organic fertilizer from leaves and straw on plants
In addition to the above uses, in order for people to understand, know and take full advantage of the benefits from organic fertilizer, we will clarify the following issue:
- Supplements large amounts of protein for plant growth.
- Improving infertile, nutrient-deficient soil
- Easy to use: can be applied directly or diluted with water
- Prevents internal pathogens such as harmful bacteria
- Prevents pests and destructive insects
- Synthesize enzymes and break down fibers
2.2 Ingredients in straw and leaves
The straw and dried leaves themselves contain many minerals and high nutrients. Can be listed as:
- Cellulose (cellulose): 60%,
- Lignin: 14%,
- Organic protein (protein): 3.4%, c
- Fat (lipid): 1.9%.
After the composting process, nutrients are transformed and create a group of substances good for plant growth. Nutritional ingredients after incubation can be mentioned as
- 10Kg protein
- 5 kilograms
- 21 kg potassium
3. How to compost straw and leaves to quickly decompose with Trichoderma
Even though it contains many nutrients,leaf straw still has some shortcomings such as:
- Easy to carry diseases harmful to plants
- The incubation time is quite long
But people can rest assured, the defects mentioned above can all be overcome by incubation with Trichoderma. With its rich microbial system, Trichoderma is proud to be able to help people in the production of organic fertilizer.
- Eliminate disease-carrying bacteria such as sprout rot, root rot,…
- Increases beneficial microorganisms for plants
- Promotes the decomposition process.
- Provides more nutrients
- Increases resistance for plants.
Trichoderma bacillus mushroom preparation used to compost organic fertilizer is extremely effective – In composting straw and leaves, Trichoderma preparation should be used.
It can be said that, using Trichoderma in composting plant straw and leaves is necessary. So how to compost straw and leaves brings the highest efficiency, please continue reading the article.
Share corner: How to remove odors from apartment and landfill waste
3.1 How to compost straw and leaves to quickly rot
Straw and leaves are two different materials, but in general they have similar composting processes and notes. Here is the most detailed way to compost straw and leaves
Ingredients to prepare:
To have a ton of finished compost, we need to prepare all the main ingredients. And depending on conditions, people can combine many different types of ingredients
- Straw, leaves: 1 ton
- Trichoderma bacillus product – Duc Binh: 200gr
- EMZEO organic waste treatment product: 200gr
- NPK fertilizer: 2kg
- Manure: 500kg
- Straw turning tools, containers,…
- Materials for lining and covering the compost heap: canvas, plastic bags
Collect straw and leaves to make organic fertilizer
Preparation process:
- Step 1: Handle straw, leaves and Trichoderma preparations.
-
- Straw, leaves
-
-
- For fresh straw and leaves: spread the straw evenly on a flat surface, add water to ensure moisture
- For straw and dry leaves: need to water a lot continuously for 2 – 3 days.
-
-
- Trichoderma bacillus preparation
-
-
- href=”https://chephamvisinh.vn/che-pham-vi-sinh-xu-ly-chat-thai-huu-co/”>EMZEO composting product with 50 liters of clean water
- Stir until Trichoderma and EMZEO dissolve evenly in water
-
Moisten straw and leaves before composting
- Step 2: Incubate the ingredients
-
- Prepare a flat ground (preferably a cement floor), or you can dig a hole about 70cm deep to cover the straw.
- Mix the manure, straw, and leaves evenly.
- Spread an even layer of straw and leaves, then water a layer of dissolved Trichoderma + EMZEO.
- Add a very thin layer of NPK.
- Continue until all the prepared ingredients are finished
- Finally, use a tarpaulin to cover it carefully to keep it airtight and retain moisture
- Step 3: Check and add water
-
- After about 10 days, open the compost pile and check the humidity. If there are no grass sprouts inside the compost pile, the inhibitory microorganisms are already active.
- Add water to add moisture to the compost pile.
- Cover the canvas and wait 20 days.
- Step 4: Check a second time and turn the compost pile
-
- After nearly 20 days, open the compost pile and measure the moisture again.
- Mix the compost evenly from the outside in.
- Continue to pile up and cover with tarpaulin.
- Incubate like that for more than 30 days.
- Step 5: Accept the results.
The composting process is considered successful if the compost is soft, moist, and loose. Has a dark brown color, and white fungal patches. Has a characteristic sour smell of compost
3.2 How to use organic fertilizer
There are usually two levels of the most common use of organic fertilizers. That is to use fertilizer before planting and top dressing.
- Basic fertilization: To prepare a loose humus layer, containing nutritional value and killing pathogens for seeds and seedlings right from the time of planting. Spread a layer of organic fertilizer and plow and till evenly with natural soil.
- Top dressing: When the plant is in special stages of development or periods such as flowering and fruiting. At this time, a large amount of nutrients is needed so that the plant does not become exhausted and produces the highest yield. Top dressing is usually applied directly under the tree for forestry crops. As for vegetables, people can dilute organic fertilizer with water and water the vegetables, or can spread a thin layer directly on the ground.
3.3 Notes when composting straw and leaves
When composting straw and leaves people need to follow certain notes to ensure optimal composting efficiency most:
- Chop and chop straw to increase the contact area with microorganisms and shorten composting time.
- Provides enough moisture for microorganisms to function, avoiding moisture deficiency or excess
- Additional EM preparations can be used to eliminate fishy odors and increase composting efficiency.
- The height of the compost pile must not exceed 1.2m
- Do not use quicklime when composting: quicklime destroys beneficial microorganisms, directly affecting the success or failure of organic composting
- The compost pile needs to ensure a temperature between 40 degrees Celsius and 55 degrees Celsius. That is the most ideal environment to help microorganisms operate at maximum capacity. The ideal humidity when composting straw and leaves is 50 to 60%. People need to note that if the compost pile is too dry, microorganisms cannot function. On the contrary, if the compost pile is too wet, the straw will quickly rot and smell.
- After 2 to 3 days of composting, we will see the compost pile warm up, slightly hot. If the compost pile smells of fresh soil after rain, that’s a good sign. If the compost pile has an unpleasant odor, it is likely due to lack of oxygen or too high humidity.
4. Frequently asked questions when composting and using organic fertilizer from straw and leaves
Revolving around the issue of composting straw and leaves into organic fertilizer, there are many questions that people ask. Here are some key questions:
How soon can compost be used
According to agricultural experts, compost can be used after 30 to 60 days. This depends on weather conditions and the dryness of straw and leaves. To ensure the best effectiveness, it is recommended that people incubate for another 7 days before fertilizing.
Should cow manure and chicken manure be mixed with straw?
If you have it, even better! However, you should compost it first and then mix it together. Note, when composting, ensure the appropriate ratio to avoid excessive heat generation, which will cause the compost pile to stink, reducing fertilizer effectiveness.
What types of plants can compost from straw and leaves be used to fertilize?
- Vegetables and tubers: mustard greens, herbs, short-term vegetables…
- Forestry crops: coffee, rubber, cashew,..
- Or organic fertilizer from straw can be used to fertilize rice
How to preserve organic fertilizer after composting
Organic fertilizers that are successfully composted and not needed can be continued to be piled up, as long as they avoid flooding from rainwater and regularly maintain humidity. It is best to divide them into bags and store them in a dry, cool place.
Common mistakes when composting straw and leaves
Composting straw and leaves is not difficult, but you can’t always do it successfully. The problem people sometimes encounter when composting is: Straw does not rot or decomposes extremely poorly. The main reason is that the ingredients are too dry or lack Trichoderma preparations, so people have to add more water and then mix well.
In addition, there is another problem when composting: the straw smells rotten. The reason is because the compost pile is wet so we have to open the canvas, mix well, and let it air out for 1 to 2 days. In case the compost pile is covered with black mold or insects, farmers should add biological products and cover it with a tarpaulin.
Do I need protective equipment when using organic fertilizer?
Usually when using chemical fertilizers, people have to wear boots, wear plastic shirts and cover up very carefully. And using organic fertilizer also requires protective equipment to protect. Maybe you don’t need to be as careful as when using chemical fertilizers.
Is it okay to use a lot of organic fertilizer
Organic fertilizers have a very good effect on plants. However, people need to be careful to use it with moderate frequency to avoid abuse. Because compost that uses a lot of manure is hot, it is not good for plant growth.
5. Where to buy quality Trichoderma mushrooms to compost straw and leaves
After learning how to compost straw leaves with Trichoderma preparations, many people must have a question: where to buy Trichoderma preparations to ensure quality.
People’s concerns are completely well-founded when currently, the situation of counterfeit goods mixing and replacing genuine products is increasingly difficult to control. Of course, when buying fake products, the effect will not be there and will cause harm.
See more: Mushroom What is trichoderma? Where to buy reputable and quality Trichoderma preparations?
Duc Binh Microbial Products with many years of experience, has always been a pioneer in the use of biological products. For many years, the company has always been a safe and reliable address for farmers all over the country. Trichoderma product is also one of the familiar products that the company researches, produces and distributes.
Above is how to compost straw and leaves using Trichoderma bacillus preparation to create good organic fertilizer for plants. Hope our sharing will help people understand the process of creating organic fertilizer right at home without spending much money. Wishing everyone success and a good harvest.
Contact information
Duc Binh Biotechnology Company Limited
MST: 0108433217
Address: 57 Lane 64 Kim Giang, Khuong Dinh, Hanoi
Phone number: 024.66.55.46.86
Transaction office
Duc Binh Microbial Products – Center for Research and Application of Biological Products specializes in research, production and application of product lines: Probiotics, septic tank yeast, wastewater treatment yeast, aquatic yeast, biological products…
Address : 1B Alley 774 Kim Giang, Thanh Liet, Hanoi
Phone number: 0934.214.579
Hotline: 024.66.55.46.86
Email: chephamvisinhungdung@gmail.com
Website:https://chephamvisinh.vn