Pick of the Week (4-22-2009)

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide

by Barbara Pleasant

Compost devotees think outside the compost bin in presenting ways to better utilize this garden resource. After introducing the rationale for and basics of recycling organic materials, Pleasant and Martin present such labor-saving techniques as banner batches, grow heaps, and "catch-and-release" vermicomposting. They also address the challenges of composting such materials as dead fish and old bones, and provide recipes for compost tea and special soils for specific crops.