堆肥法(Composting)

堆肥一直是我移居溫哥華後想做的一項任務，一個$30的塑膠桶子，可以在各市的環保局((Recycling Complex)購買。堆肥成功的肥沃殘渣，比每年春天花錢去買一包一包的土蓋上自家庭院上，省錢又肥沃多了。

一位New Westminster地產經紀人，在每一季的自己廣告季刊內(共4頁)，都會刊載有利居民的一些資訊，如上兩次的剷雪注意事項與聖誕節長假出外，住家應注意的事項。這時想讓我丟棄其廣告紙也難，所以把資訊保存下來供大家分享>>>>

Composing turns kitchen and yard waste into dark, nutrient-rich soil conditioner-frequently called "gardener's gold".(將廚房果皮蔬葉與庭院的草渣堆肥成黑色、肥沃的營養物，通常被稱為園丁的黃金)

Compost acts as a catalyst(催化劑), allowing plants to absorb(吸收) the nutrients in the soil and hold more moisture. If you have a garden, a lawn, trees, shrubs or indoor plants, you can use this conditioner to improve your soil and the plants growing in it. It's nature's way of making a greener garden and it helps protect the enviornment by reducing the amount of waste going to 30% of household waste. Collecting kitchen waste can be as simple as placing a plastic garbage can, or bucket, under your sink or just outside your kitchen door.

WHAT TO COMPOST>>>>>

Nitrogen(氮)-rich GREEN materials   * Wood ash from fireplace/wood stove   * plant trimmings and remains   * fruit & vegetable scraps(剩餘物)    * tea bags & coffee grounds   * egg and nut shells   * grass clippings(剪下的草)

Carbon(碳)-rich BROWN materials    * dry leaves   * straw   * woodchips

DO NOT COMPOST   *   pet wastes(寵物排泄物)   *  charcoal or coal ashes(木炭或煤灰燼)   * meats, bone, fats   * dairy products   *oil or greasy foods(廚房廚餘)   * diseased or insect-infected plants (受病蟲害的植物)  * diapers and sanitary products(嬰兒尿布或衛生類用品)   * crab grass(大麻植物)

HOW TO COMPOST >>>>>>

1. Place your container on level ground where there is good drainage. A sunny spot will speed the process, but is not essential.

2. Add both 'green' and 'brown' materials. When adding kitchen scraps or grass, also add some dry leaves. When you rake leaves in the fall, save several bags to add gradually to your pile during the rest of the year. Chopping or shredding materials will speed up the composting process.

3. Keep the compost moist but not wet. Use a cover to keep it from becoming too wet from rainfall. If it gets too wet, turn and loosen it or add more dry materials such as leaves. If it gets too dry, water it.

4. Provide air to the pile every two or three weeks by turning it with a pitchfork(乾草叉子), shovel(鐵鍬) or an aerating(助通風的) tool.

YUCKY WORMS(令人討厭的蚯蚓，其實是庭院中的花圃與菜圃的益蟲)

Worm can be the compost pile's best friend. Worms eat decaying(腐蝕) organic matter and then transform it into castings(重要角色) that are an incredibly rich addition to your compost mix.(蚯蚓可是堆肥中最好的朋友，蚯蚓吃腐蝕的有機菜葉草渣物，然後轉換成肥沃物中極重要的堆肥角色)

今年(2010)春天又從好友Helen那裏學到另類快速的肥沃庭院的貧瘠土法>>>>>>割完的草渣直接留在草坪上(散開)，可以讓草坪保濕，也是另一種草肥，或直接將割下來的草渣埋在菜圃土壤內，如此可肥沃土攘。

 ****************載自Burnaby環保局的小冊子  ******************

Compost to reduce your yard waste>>>>>Yard and garden trimmings, along with fruit and vegetable peelings, can be composted in your own backyard, resulting in(將產生) a rich soil amendment(改善) for your garden.  Composters are available from the Burnaby Yard Waste Depot for $30 each. See the map on the back of this page for the location of the depot. For information on City composters, call 604-294-7972. For information on composting, call the Hotline 604-736-2250.

(( 堆肥可減少庭院的浪費>>>>庭院/花園修剪的樹葉/花草與水果皮菜葉放在一起，可以堆肥在自家的後院，它將產生肥沃的泥土來改善自家花園。堆肥桶可以在本拿比城市的庭院回收單位購買一個加幣$30。其地址在  #4800 Still Creek Avenue, west of Douglas  Open 7days a week, except holidays 8:00am to 3:45pm，其網址是  www.burnaby.ca/sanitationandrecycling。 如需要市政府的堆肥桶資料可以電  604-294-7972 ，如要堆肥資訊，可以電熱線   604-736-2250  ))