“The cause of plant disease is poor nutrition and an unhealthy soil ecosystem. The fate of plants is as inseparably entwined with that of the soil as our fate is entwined with theirs. If we want to eat nutritious food we need to take care of the soil, for we too are part of this web of life.” – Heide Hermary
Epsom salt is familiar to gardeners as a fertilizer. When you find your plants looking tired, giving them a small dose of Epsom salt is a quick way to rejuvenate them. This is particularly true for ferns and palms. Roses, azaleas, tomatoes, peppers, and fruit trees also respond well to its regular application with increased flowering and yield. If that’s not enough, this inexpensive non-toxic solution can help keep pests out of your garden, too.
Fresh, earthy potatoes are an easy crop to grow, and just a few plants will produce pounds of potatoes in a single season. However, the traditional method of planting potatoes in hills is not ideal for the small-space gardener since the plants need a lot of space to spread out. Thankfully, you can plant potatoes in a bag and get a bountiful harvest in just a few square feet.
Death is an inevitable part of life in this world. Birth and death are the two things that every single human being has in common, and while the mainstream has been accepting of advancements in alternative birthing options in recent years, such as home births and midwives, the view on death has not been so progressive. Until recently, cremation and traditional burial were the only options for funeral services and the processing of human remains. However, a new kind of revolutionary burial called “recomposition” is on the rise and is good news for earth and garden-lovers everywhere.
So what exactly is recomposition?
The bill signed on May 21 by Washinton State Gov. Jay Inslee, explains recomposition as a “contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.” This process speeds of the process of converting dead bodies to soil in a respectful, controlled, aboveground setting and is often referred to as “human composting.” The bill passed on Tuesday, and legalizes human composting in Washington State starting May 1, 2020.
According to Katrina Spade, CEO of the human composting company, Recompose, “(The) body is covered in natural materials, like straw or wood chips, and over the course of about three to seven weeks, thanks to microbial activity, it breaks down into soil.”
The company advertises its services as a way to “support new life when we die” and is very focused on improving the environment and enriching the soil by supporting the natural cycle of decay and gently returning human remains to the earth.
Over the weeks that the body is being broken down into the soil, the family can visit the facility and will ultimately receive the earth that is created from their loved ones to use as they wish. This option is a way to return minerals and nutrients to the ground and is a viable alternative to burial.
Traditional burial in a cemetery can cause preservation chemicals from human remains, casket fumes, and varnishes to leech into the groundwater. Not to mention, this practice is only viable for so long before cemetery plots become overcrowded. Cremation releases harmful fossil fuels and carbon emissions into the environment, only contributing to the growing concerns of atmospheric pollution.
This environmentally friendly method of “natural organic reduction” is appealing to many who wish to see their body used to support the planet and create life through plants, after their death. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Jamie Pedersen, states, “It’s about time…we allow some technology to be applied to this universal human experience … because we think that people should have the freedom to determine for themselves how they’d like their body to be disposed of.”
Pedersen has vocalized his support of this bill, claiming that “Researchers from Washington State University have found the process to be safe and less expensive and better for the environment than burial or cremation.” Compared to rising funeral costs that now average between $8,000 and $25,000, human composting is likely to cost around $5,500, making it an affordable way to go green even after you pass on from this world.
Safety and benefits of human compost
Aside from supporting the environment by avoiding traditional burial or cremation and abstaining from the use of chemicals, the product of human composting, just like regular compost can return vital nutrients to the soil.
Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, professor of soil science at WSU, performed a recent study with six human bodies that had been donated for the process to determine if the practice was a safe and viable way of handling remains. The study showed that the soil made from recomposition met and often exceeded state and federal safety requirements for pathogens and metals that could be dangerous to humans and nearby plants
Carpenter-Boggs asserts the success of the process goes to the to thermophilic microorganisms that quickly raised the temperature of the container, and the selection of carefully calibrated plant matter that gently decomposed the body.
The soil could safely be used in the garden to grow flowers, fruit, and vegetables, or anywhere you would place traditional compost. What better way for a garden-lover to spend their eternal rest?
What do you think about having your body turned into compost? Let us know in the comments below.
-Taylor Ramsey
All soils are not made equal. Seasoned gardeners know this only too well, but newbie gardeners often learn it the hard way, and the bad experience may even turn some off for life.
No-till gardening is essentially a method of creating garden beds over the ground without digging it up. The bed is built up in layers to the desired height, and the seeds and seedlings are then planted in it.
Years ago, the Farm Equipment Association of Minnesota and South Dakota was quoted as saying, “Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a 6-inch layer of topsoil.” It makes perfect sense because this critical half-foot of dirt is where plants access moisture and nutrients.
Sign up for gardening advice
delivered straight to your inbox!
