produce chemical fertilizers are becoming less available.
Materials for GROW BIOINTENSIVE compost, on the
other hand, are plants and soil, which can be produced
in a sustained way by a healthy garden. While compost
made from plants grown in a nutrient-poor soil will not
contain nutrients that are not present; once the nutrients
are introduced into the soil, compost “grown” in that soil
recycles these nutrients. These compostable materials can
be produced inde3nitely if we take care of our soils and
do not exhaust them.
Generally, use only a maximum of 4 cubic feet of
cured compost, made from equal amounts by volume of
mature (dry) material and immature (green) material
and one-quarter part soil per 100 square feet, per 4- to
6-month crop to avoid using more than a sustainable
amount of compost. (See this page.) Four cubic feet of
Biointensive compost made with soil is about one-sixth
of a cubic yard. It will cover a 100-square-foot bed ½
inch deep. Alternatively, use a maximum of 2 cubic feet
(approximately 1¼ inches) of cured compost made
without soil. Both types of these composts—with and
without soil—contain the same amount of organic
matter.
Manures—Solids
(approximate)
Chicken—fresh 9–15% C 1.50% N 1.00% P .50% K
Chicken—dry Do not have data 4.50% N 3.50% P 2.00% K
Dairy Cow 7.28% C .56% N .23% P .60% K