Gill Pound’s advice to a novice “composter”
Question
I am a townie and have for many years put potato peelings etc into a waste disposal in the sink. In our current house the plumbing really isn’t suitable for that so we have decided to be more eco friendly and compost our kitchen waste. We really don’t have much of a clue about doing this and now having read some articles on the internet I see that there are many suggestions which actually are confusing to a new starter like me.
Answer
You can find lots of slightly conflicting articles about composting but the basics are that composting is a natural process which converts raw organic material into a soil conditioner, good for the garden to improve soil structure and add nutrients. Basically you gather your material - a mix of 'brown' (dry leaves, woody prunings, straw, sawdust .;) and green (veg, grass clippings ...) matter - put the whole lot into a pile, turn it from time to time and keep it moist. The pile on its own will eventually decompose (slow or cold composting) but you can if you wish speed up the process by improving the conditions - making sure that there is a good mix of air and water in the pile and a good mix of green and brown materials - then, with luck, the pile will heat up - hot composting. You can use a freestanding pile or you can make some sort of container from wire mesh, old palettes, plastic bins etc. It may be worth asking at your Mairie since some Mairies are now offering home composters at reduced prices.
Question
I bought some chemical composter – it seems you are saying we don’t really need that or would you recommend it as a hastener to the process?
Answer
You can use it, it generally helps to speed up the process but it's not that necessary.
Question
Is there any specially good time to put compost on the garden or can you do it any time?
Answer
Any time is fine but perhaps particularly in the spring when you are preparing for the year, or when you are cleaning up areas of the garden in general.
For further information contact Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes (shrubs and perennials, ornamental grasses, unusual plants and plants for dry climates, garden advice and consultation), 21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire, 11160, Caunes-Minervois.
Tel: 04 68 78 43 81, email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com
Website www.lapetitepepiniere.com
Open March to November 10h – 18h Fridays and Saturdays, 10h – 12h Sundays, or by appointment – just phone or email to fix another time.
Inside the church you will see a horseshoe arch separating the nave from the altar. This is typically Visigothic. All the experts agree that the capitals above the pillars holding it, are Visigothic. The pillars themselves are “antique marble re-used.” Maybe even Roman. So it sounds to me that the church, maybe much smaller, existed in the 8th century and was renovated several times, obviously. The last one was done in 1853 – see the date above the arch.
Outside is a tiny graveyard. Standing in it one sees clearly the Romanesque style of the doors and windows. I believe the door on the left was not the original entrance – that would have been where is now the road, for the church was orientated west-east, as Visigothic churches always were. One entered St. Martin des Puits and saw that lovely arch straight ahead, and the frescoes.
