Topic: The Story of Quick-Return Compost

[tubs]

As a newbie(?), I thought I would inject A little of the past.
I have just reread a wonderful old (circa 1946) book by M.E.Bruce on a much researched compost activator. The dried ingredients being Yarrow/Chamomile/Dandelion/Oak Bark/Valerian/Nettle/Honey (Yarrow & Dandelion being the most important). A small teaspoon of an equal mixture of the ingredie nts is shaken in a pint bottle of rainwater. Stand the bottle for 24hrs., reshake, and pour 3ozs. into staked holes (1 - 2ft. apart) in your new compost heap. Fill the holes with soil. When the heap is opened in 4/6/8/12 weeks, depending on the season, you will find it evenly composted and sweet smelling! Many formal trials were carried and very favourable reports recorded. Links were also referenced to the Soil Association.
I must admit, I have tried this with good success.

[ina]

Does it mean that you actually need all those ingredients, honey too? How is one supposed to dry and ground all this? I have almost all the stuff at the lotty except for oak bark and honey and I have no idea what yarrow is.

I love very old gardening books.

[gavin]

It'd be interesting to see how it compares with a can of beer - after processing, of course!

All best - Gavin