No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsHealthWhy we compost

Why we compost

Gardening has a wonderful effect of reconnecting people to dirt. Dirt is Earths’ living skin, and it maintains all the kingdoms of life. Beneath the soil is a dark, microscopic world with a thriving community of beneficial microbes, insects and worms that decompose organic matter into humus and nutrients for the plants and trees.

At the heart of a natural garden there’s a compost pile.

The compost pile is used to recycle kitchen wastes, leaves, grass clippings, as well as manures. Instead of throwing all this organic matter in the garbage can, it can be recycled into rich, fertile soil. Each day, millions of tons of organic wastes are thrown into landfills, instead of being returned to the dirt. It’s estimated we could reduce landfills by 40 percent just by composting, not to mention greening the earth at the same time.  Composting has even got easier in Costa Rica, now that friendly microbiological cultures are available for your compost pile.

EARTH University over in Guácimo piloted a project some years ago with EM or Efficient Microorganisms. EM was developed by Dr. Teruo Higa of Japan using microbes to efficiently ferment and digest organic waste. Over the years, Costa Ricans began experimenting with cultures of microbes for composting. For example, farmers often use a mix called MM or Microorganisms of the Mountain, which was created from rainforest soil communities. And recently a new product has been developed by a Costa Rican farming family, which is now available at most leading nurseries around the country. It’s called Base Biológica and marketed by Bio-Eco. You can check the website for a selection of gardening products at: www.bioeco.co.cr

Many years ago, our garden reached a point of exhaustion. Suddenly things just wouldn’t grow. That’s when I first used EM to return the life to my soils and the abundance to my garden. I’ve been using Base Biológica for about two years now and with very good results. By inoculating organic wastes, a fermentation process occurs and speeds up the decomposition, preventing odors. As you use this compost in your garden, these beneficial microbes thrive in your soil and prevent pathogenic microbes from taking over.

You can also use composting cultures to clean drains and improve septic tank functions. Additionally, it can be sprayed on plants and trees to protect them from disease. If you have animals, you can spray the floors and manure to reduce odors and flies.

By the way, there’s a must see documentary called “Dirt –The Movie that explains it all in a very inspiring way. “Teaming with Microbes – The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis is another must-read for the dirt under the fingernail crowd. 

As the rains come, let the gardening begin!

For more information on tropical gardening – naturally – contact us at: http://thenewdawncenter.info/blog.html or thenewdawncenter@yahoo.com

Trending Now

Strong Earthquake Shakes Panama’s Pacific Coast, No Damage Reported

A strong earthquake struck off Panama's Pacific coast today, rattling the region but causing no reported injuries or destruction. Seismologists pegged the magnitude at...

Starbucks Expands in Guanacaste with New Store Opening in Tamarindo

Starbucks continues to strengthen its presence in Costa Rica with the opening of its second store in the province of Guanacaste, specifically in Tamarindo....

Flying Around Costa Rica is Easier Than Ever Thanks to Sansa Airlines

The airline recently added two new aircraft to its fleet, bringing their total to twelve. That increase allows SANSA to boost service to smaller...

El Salvador NGO Flees to Guatemala as Bukele Intensifies Crackdown on Critics

The prestigious NGO Cristosal, which investigates corruption cases and denounces human rights violations in El Salvador, announced Thursday that it has been forced into...

US Visa Cost Increase for Travelers and Workers Under New Law

United States President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, introducing a new surcharge for most non-immigrant US...

Costa Rica Overturns Management Plan for Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge

Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the General Management Plan for the Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge is unconstitutional. The decision annuls both the...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica