Elements of PermacultureThe Skin of the World

Ben Kessler Laughing Crow Permaculture

Soil

“The main characteristic of Nature's farming can…be summed up in a few words. Mother earth never attempts to farm without live stock; she always raises mixed crops; great pains are taken to preserve the soil and to prevent erosion; the mixed vegetable and animal wastes are converted into humus; there is no waste; the processes of growth and the processes of decay balance one another; ample provision is made to maintain large reserves of fertility; the greatest care is taken to store the rainfall; both plants and animals are left to protect themselves against disease.” - Sir Albert Howard, An Agricultural Testament

Etymology of SoilIndo-European: Er[t] ‘land, soil, ground’Old High German: Erda, Middle High German: ErdeGothic: AírþaGreek: Érā Welsh: ErwEnglish: Earth

Proto-Indo-European: Ters, ‘drying, to dry’Latin: Terra, Italian: Terra

French: TerreEnglish: TerrainEsperanto: Tero

Indo-European: ???Latin: Solium, ‘seat’ Solum, ‘soil, ground’Anglo-French: Soil, ‘piece of ground, place’ c.1300

Soil HorizonsO – Organic Matter: Leaf Litter,

Humus, Duff, Centipedes, Voles, Pill-bugs

A – Surface Soil: Topsoil, Mycelium, Earthworms, Moles, N-Fixing Bacteria

B – Subsoil: Accumulated Clay, Organic Compounds, Metallic Compounds, Hibernating Frogs, Taproots

C – Parent Rock, Weird Archaeobacteria

Topsoil25% Air

25% Water

45% Minerals

5% Organic Matter

Aeration

Drainage

Water Retention

Balanced Nutrients

Bio-MassDecaying Plant Matter

Plants Soil Organisms & Macroorganisms

Mycelium Microorganisms

Organisms Transfer Nutrients to Plants

Soil NutrientsMicronutrients

Macronutrients

Building Soil

Compost Cover Crops Mulching

Mulch1. Inhibits weeds2. Holds in moisture3. Prevents erosion4. Provides habitat for soil flora & fauna5. Keeps soil temperature stable6. Holds in N7. Slowly builds humus8. Prevents soil compaction

LeavesStrawCardboardRamial Wood ChipsBarkSawdustBurlapNewspaper

Mulch to 4” or more, especially in dry climatesMulch deep for veggies, shallow for trees

Always leave space for stems!

The Rhizosphere

Rhizosphere: Area of soil directly affected by a plant’s roots. Often mirrors spread of above-ground branches and leaves.

Mycorrhizae8 miles of fungal hyphae in 1 cubic inch of topsoil

Mycorrhizae are symbiotic partnerships between plant roots and fungal mycelium

90% of plants have one or more mycorrizhal partners

With Mycorrhizal Partners Without Mycorrhizal Partners

Compost

“Behold this compost! behold it well!” – Walt Whitman

Compost Elements“Brown” Carbon-rich Material

“Green” Nitrogen-rich Material

Air

Moisture

Neutral pH

Microorganisms

Fungi

Macroinvertebrates

Carbon & NitrogenIdeal C:N Ratio: 25:1

More C in cool, damp environments, or more frequent turning

More N in warm, dry environments, or greater water-retaining covering

Layer Carboniferous and Nitrogenous materials in the pile

Aerobic CompostNecessary Elements1. Support (internal structural integrity or external bin structure)2. Critical mass (3’ cube minimum)3. Stable C/N ratio (25:1)4. Proper moisture(consistency of wrung-out sponge)5. Proper aeration (turn every 2 weeks - 3 months)6. Thermophilic temperatures (140° F +)

AdvantagesFastForgiving

DisadvantagesLabor-intensiveOxidation causes destruction of some organic N & CO2

Anaerobic CompostNecessary Elements1. Airtight container or covering2. Proper moisture(consistency of moist sponge)3. Stable C/N ratio (25:1 – 15:1)4. No aeration!5. Slightly acidic pH (6.5 – 7)

AdvantagesPreserves more NCan be done indoors

DisadvantagesRequires specific blend of microorganisms (purchased Activator mix)FinickyCan go smelly

Compost CrittersBacteria Psychrophilic (0° - 55° F) Mesophilic (70° - 90° F) Thermophilic (104° - 200° F)

Actinomycetes

Protozoa

Fungi

Nematodes

Earthworms

Arthropods

Mammals

Composting TechniquesLeast Energy-Intensive

Sheet Compost

Pit/Trench Compost

Heap

Windrows

Movable Pile

Raised Bed

Bins

Tumblers

Most Energy Intensive

Compost TeaIngredients5-Gallon BucketAquarium BubblersWaterBurlap Sack full of MuckLeaves of Comfrey, Borage, etc.

Muck:25% Manure (fairly fresh)45% Green Material30% Carboniferous Material

Marinate at 135° – 160° F for 3 Days

Use as fertilizer & foliar amendment

Use within 2 hours or keep Bubblers going to keep aerobic microorganisms alive

Urine95% N60% P32% K

Average pH of 7

Can defoliate plants through direct application, due to salts

Dilute (10-20 parts Water to 1 part Urine) for fertilizer

“If I urinated into a pitcher of drinking water and then proceeded to quench my thirst from the pitcher, I would undoubtedly be considered crazy. If I invented an expensive technology to put my urine and feces into my drinking water, and then invented another expensive (and undependable) technology to make the same water fit to drink, I might be thought even crazier. It is not inconceivable that some psychiatrist would ask me knowingly why I wanted to mess up my drinking water in the first place.” – Wendell Berry

Carol Steinfield: Liquid Gold http://www.liquidgoldbook.com/

Humanure

Feces should be composted aerobically at 150° F for 1-3 months to kill all pathogens

Add sawdust or other dry, high C material to feces to eliminate odor and balance C/N ratio

Prefab Composting Toilets tend to be anaerobic fermenters that take a long time to compost their contents

Is it safe to compost human waste in your backyard? You bet!

Joseph Jenkins: The Humanure Handbook http://weblife.org/humanure/default.html

Appendices

Soil TypesSand: Large mineral particles.

Silt: Medium-sized mineral particles.

Clay: Small mineral particles.

Loam: Soil composed of Sand, Silt, and Clay in roughly even amounts. Can contain lots of Humus, retain water but drain well, and are easy to till.

Humus: Organic material broken down to a point of reliable structural stability.Soil Types by Particle Size

The Carbon Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

Mulching

From Growit Gold Landscape & Garden Design Software

What Can Be Composted?Easy

Yard Waste (C, N)Leaves (C)

Grass Clippings (N)Vegetable Kitchen Scraps (N)

Eggshells (Ca)Coffee Grounds (C, N)

Tea-bags (C)Manure (C, N)

Sawdust (C)Wood Ash (K)Urine (N, P, K)Bones (Ca, K)

Newspaper (C)Pine Needles (C)

Hay (C, N)Mollusk Shells (Ca)

Straw (C)

TrickyCopy Paper (C)

Cooked Food (N)Meat (N, P, K)

Wood (C)Dairy (N, Ca)

Feces (N, P, K)

ImpossibleRocksMetalPlasticGlass

Synthetic ChemicalsNuclear Waste

Compost Food Chain

The Indore Method

Sir Albert Howard, godfather of Western composting

The Three Chambered Bin

From The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins

29

Thanks toThe Internet

for words and pictures

Contact Informationbkessler@gm.slc.edu

laughingcrowpermaculture.wordpress.com