Successful Compost even in Small Bins.

HOMEACRES FARM LEARNING
Food for soil microbes.



Each size of bin makes good quality yet different composts, from the same materials added. I use these excellent composts when just six months old, or even four months sometimes.

All the time it changes in quality, and is good to use after a year or more. Just there is less of it, from decomposition continuing.

From the analysis organised by Martyn Richards of Agriton.
"The relatively low fungi-to-bacteria ratios are not caused by a lack of fungi. Fungal biomass in all three samples is within the laboratory’s desired range. The ratios are lower because the bacterial populations are especially high.

Large Bay – matured for 19 months has the strongest fungal result:

Fungi: 667.90 µg/ml
Bacteria: 1,687.46 µg/ml
F:B ratio: 0.40
Amoebae: 254,750/ml
Fungal-feeding nematodes: 42/ml

This is the only sample classified by the laboratory at the “brassica” stage rather than the earlier “weed” stage.
That description is based on the fungi-to-bacteria ratio. It does not mean the compost contains weeds, encourages weeds or is only suitable for brassicas. It is the laboratory’s shorthand for the biological balance and its position within a model of ecological succession.

It's also visually the darkest, finest and most soil-like sample. The physical appearance and microscopy both reflect the longer maturation period. The time left relatively undisturbed has allowed a larger fungal population to establish.

Younger three-bay compost, six months old, is more bacteria-dominated:
Fungi: 304.17 µg/ml
Bacteria: 1,595.75 µg/ml
F:B ratio: 0.19
Amoebae: 475,533/ml
Bacterial-feeding nematodes: 125/ml
Fungal-feeding nematodes: 42/ml

This is active compost that has not had the same maturation time. It contains good fungal biomass, but its greater bacterial dominance and more recognisable woody material show that it is at a different point in the process.
This fits the management of the three-bay system. Turning mixes and aerates the material and produces more even compost, while fungal strands then need time to re-establish during the undisturbed finishing period.
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