Reflections of composting in the garden and in the heart

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I am sitting here near the compost heap this morning in order to get in touch with the topic. My confession is this: The compost was the first thing I worked on when I moved into my new home. I discovered that I don’t even have to have a major plan for the garden yet to start composting. I started with small steps, and curiously I wasn’t afraid of getting it wrong – that’s the way to learn. Experience happens along the way and is part of growth too. When we look at experienced gardeners there’s a chance that we might feel like we will never have a garden like theirs but remember they too had to start from humble beginnings. Comparison is odious and the thief of enjoyment of one’s own process. So my first step to vegetable growing was actually developing a compost heap. At the same time I began to observe and learn about Scottish climate conditions. The soil here is also completely different. If you are thinking of starting an edible garden for the first time then I hope I can encourage you.

My disclaimer

I am not a soil expert, I am still a beginner, but I did attend a world soil summit a few years back. I also learnt a little about the theories of permaculture which suited my value of looking after the earth. I consider myself to be an average composter. I highly recommend you do some research or extra learning so that you get the best from your efforts. Learning the basics is like laying the first foundation to a happy garden.  Gardening involves continuous learning. The soil will always do better if you enrich it with compost.

What to put into your compost

You might want to buy a plastic compost bin or make one from wood.

Try to layer brown matter with green vegetable matter and dung. Keep layering.
The brown matter consist of cardboard, dry leaves, straw, twigs and wood which all add carbon to the compost.
The dung you use can use cow or horse dung or as we have alpaca here and sheep their dung can be added too. Chicken droppings can be added but it is quite strong and people prefer to make a liquid manure by soaking it in water first. Avoid dung from meat eating beings, like cats, dogs and humans. The dung or manure will help the compost to break down faster and also add nitrogen.  Green matter is everything from uncooked vegetables and fruit, green leaves, and grass clippings, kelp washed up on beaches and coffee waste. Try to chop the brown and green matter into pieces that will break down faster. Keep a small waste bin allocated for all the vegetable and fruit waste in the kitchen which you can regularly add to your compost.

Also avoid adding oily, fatty matter, meat, fish and dairy; adult plants which have mature seed heads and I have also been told by my mother not to use potato and onion waste as it can transmit disease.  I would avoid chemicals and diseased plants as you would rather not transmit problems.

It is important to turn your compost regularly as it helps to aerate it. This allows the microbiome to breathe and function better. The aim is for everything to break down. The texture of the compost should be like a sponge but not too moist or dry. The idea is to raise the temperature of the compost but I have not managed that here in Scotland yet.  

I composted like this for two years before I stared using it and once I was ready to use the compost I took from the compost matter which was most broken down. Some people dig it into the soil but I have adopted the no dig approach and I allow nature, worms and water, to cycle the rich compost down to where it is needed.  

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The Compost Metaphor

Here are some thoughts on using compost as a metaphor for those who might enjoy a little reflection

I began my journey of reflection long before I can even remember. It also started with small steps. And it has helped me understand the world and myself better but still as this is a confession: I wrote half of this post without my reading glasses on, struggling along, without reflecting further about actually fetching my glasses, which turned out to be sitting next to me. So I think we all feel like we reflect and ask questions but maybe not all the time or not even enough.

Most of the compost in our hearts comes from the things we prune away by choice or circumstance. So often we are tempted to add more to our lives when our capacity is already bursting. Sensible pruning is often needed instead. Not every object or experiences in our lives  is something we want to build into. As we discard or prune them out we don’t have to throw them away. We can recycle them and incorporate them as learning experiences. We can process these matters by breaking them down into smaller pieces through questioning. We eventually turn them into a rich wisdom ready to enhance our new life. The life we plant every day. Just like a composter we also shouldn’t put the wrong kind of dung into our heart’s compost bin.

Like what?

We can look at our own lives and ask: ‘where or what are the things we might choose to prune away so that we have clearer vision and wisdom? Or so that we head in the direction we planned.What would be considered good or bad dung in our lives?

Just like we should be wary of adding chemicals to our garden compost we should be careful about what we add to our hearts compost when we consume social media.

Layer your learning and experiences in the same way: green – brown, green – brown: What could that be? Layering speaks to me of order and rhythm: How do you construct order and rhythm into your life and heart? Can you alternate so that you get a good supply of fresh learning and aged wisdom of experience ?

Our good compost needs just the right amount of moisture and air so that we don’t get dried out or conversely bogged down. We rest our ‘composting’ so that our heart begin to turn it  over and the ‘microbes’ of our hearts can do their job. Waiting and patience produces the wholesome stuff.

Some methods of ‘composting’ you could use:

The things I list have one thing in common. It is a process and usually a slow process. It cannot be hurried along.

Acceptance

Forgiveness

Questioning

Percolation

Journalling

Meditation

Prayer

Contemplation

Reflection

Awareness

Considering mistakes made.

Considering what is unacceptable to you.

Boundaries acts as the compost bin does.

The boundaries keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out; as well as interacts with moister and air. A compost heap works well with boundaries like time; specific expectations and values that inform your choices.

Some things need to be excluded from the compost because they are putrid and unsafe.

This is my personal list of exclusions – (you may have other values):

Physical abuse

Sexual abuse

Emotional abuse

Lies and deception

Narcissistic acts

Cults,

Excessive control,

Manipulation,

Disrespect for life.

And cruelty to others.

There are many more depending on your beliefs and values and therefore are quite personal.

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What compost in your life is enriching you at the moment? I think back on all my relationships from past and present; I am grateful for how they have enriched my life over the years and how they continue to so in the future.

 I’m sure you can take the metaphor further. Let me know what your ideas are.

Whatever composting you do, for your external or internal garden may your compost sustain  you.

Take care.

~Morag Noffke ~