Burying Food Scraps for Soil Fertility

Jul 31, 2024

Experiment on Burying Food Scraps to Boost Soil Fertility

Overview

  • The experiment investigates the impact of burying six common food scraps under tomatoes grown in identical conditions.
  • The goal is to determine if all food scraps are equal in terms of boosting soil fertility and plant growth.

Food Scraps Used

  1. Sourdough Starter
  2. Tahini Pasta
  3. Old Beans
  4. Garden Scraps
  5. Catfish Heads
  6. Kitchen Scraps (leftovers)
  7. Farm Fresh Eggs
  8. Control Group: No food scraps (pure soil)

Experiment Setup

  • Tomato Variety: Italian Roma tomatoes from Botanical Interests.
  • Planting Method:
    • Bury food scraps 12 inches deep.
    • Use bamboo stakes for spacing and trellising.
  • Soil Preparation:
    • Loosened with a broad fork; no fertilizers added.
  • Watering System:
    • Drip tape system with a timer for consistent watering.
  • Gopher Protection:
    • Steel mesh baskets used to prevent gophers from accessing food scraps.

Growth Observations (After 2.5 Weeks)

  • Tahini, Oxalis (garden scraps), Scrappy (kitchen scraps):
    • Similar growth, bushiness, and height; no fruit yet.
  • Noodle (catfish heads):
    • Stunted growth, possibly due to slow breakdown or acidity.
  • Eggbert (eggs) and Roma (control):
    • Both showed good growth, with Eggbert being bushy and Roma as a solid control.

Mid-September Update

  • Fruit Development: Most varieties have fruit now.
  • Observation on Growth:
    • Tahini (kitchen leftovers): Smallest plant.
    • Oxalis (garden scraps): Surprisingly healthy growth.
    • Noodle (catfish): Fewer leaves but developing fruit.
    • Control: Largest growth, but also had a high number of aphids.

Final Weighing of Tomatoes

  • Results:
    • Noodle (catfish heads): 2 lbs 13.4 oz (lowest yield).
    • Middle Group (kitchen scraps): Similar weights and counts.
    • Eggbert (eggs): Higher yield than expected.
    • Control: Best overall yield and ripeness.

Key Findings

  • Loser: Catfish heads did not provide expected benefits; complex matter hard to break down.
  • Middle Pack: Kitchen scraps and garden weeds performed similarly.
  • Best Performers: Control and Eggbert showed better growth and yield.
  • Surface Area: Smaller and chopped food scraps break down quicker and benefit the plants more.

Conclusion

  • Recommended to use compost instead of directly burying food scraps for better results.
  • The experiment highlighted the importance of surface area in decomposition and nutrient availability for plants.