Transcript Composting

Composting at Home
Based on a scripted slide set written and produced by
Robert E. (Skip) Richter,
CEA-Horticulture,
Travis County,
Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
Composting:
Making “Black Gold”
Composting is fun! It's
also easy. Let's learn
about how we make
compost and how we
use it to grow
beautiful gardens.
Common Terms
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Composting is the controlled decomposition of
organic materials by microorganisms.
Compost is partially decomposed organic matter.
Humus is completely decomposed organic matter.
Mulch is organic or inorganic materials spread in a
layer on the soil surface.
What are the Benefits of
Composting?
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Conserve landfill space by 25% annually
It improves the “structure” of our heavy clay soil by
making it easier to cultivate plants – so the soil drains
better
Improves nutrient levels
Moisture retention
And fights plant diseases
Making a Compost Bin
The method of composting selected will
depend on when finished compost is
desired, the materials to be composted, and
the space available for composting.
Five Different
Composting Methods
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Holding units,
Turning units,
Heaps,
Soil incorporation, and
Worm composting.
Holding Unit
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Containers or bins that hold yard and garden materials
until composting is complete. Allow 6 months to 2
years for finished without turning.
Easy to build and least labor intensive. Good for small
compost amounts of yard wastes. Slowest way to
compost.
A Rotating Barrel ComposterTurning Unit
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A series of bins or a rotating bin that allows organic
material to be turned on a regular schedule. Two
general forms: either a series of bins, or a horizontally
mounted rotating barrel.
With a substantial input of labor, a large volume of yard
waste can be composted in a relatively short time (3
weeks to 6 months). Turning bins can require a greater
expense to buy or effort to build.
Worm Composting
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Food wastes can be digested by red worms (red wigglers) placed
in a bin with shredded and moistened newspaper, corrugated
cardboard, peat moss or sawdust. Requires temperatures
between 50 and 70 degrees F so a basement or semi-heated
indoor space is required. Worm bin (Figure 5a)
Small amounts of worms turn fruit and vegetable scraps into a
high-quality soil amendment. Generally, every pound of food
waste to be composted per week will require 1 sq. ft. of surface
area. Two pounds of worms are needed for every pound of
garbage produced per day.
Heaps
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No structure is required for heap composting. The pile
should be at least 3 ft. high and 3 ft. wide; its length will
vary depending upon the amount of material used.
Heaps (Figure 6)
Least expensive way to compost as no physical
structure is needed. Heaps may not appear as neat and
tidy as using a bin(s) for composting. Composting will
be faster if the heap is turned regularly.
Soil Incorporation
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Non-fatty food wastes can be buried at least 8 inches below
ground level. Burying at least 8 inches discourages animals from
digging up the waste.
Good method for disposing of small amounts of food wastes.
Mix soil with the food waste to hasten decomposition.
Wastes break down in one month to one year depending on soil
temperatures, number of organisms in soil, and the carbon
content of the wastes. Do not bury meat, bones or other fatty
materials as it may attract pests.
Setting Up the Bin
Next select a spot to set up your bin. It should be out of
the way but convenient to reach with plenty of room to
work around. Some good places would be near your
garden or in a back corner of the yard. It is also a good
idea to choose a location close to a source of water.
Compost Recipe
Now for the recipe for compost. The microorganisms that recycle leaves and other plant
parts need an even mix of brown stuff and green
stuff to munch on. They also need air and water
to live and work. Put all this together and in
time you will have compost!
Recipe Ingredients
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Air
Water
Brown Stuff
Green Stuff
Five Containers of Ingredients
Brown stuff is dead, dried plant parts like leaves and pine
needles. Brown stuff is high in the element carbon.
Green stuff is fresh, living parts like grass clippings,
kitchen vegetable scraps, weeds and other plants. Green
stuff is high in the element nitrogen.
Don’t Use
Don't use meat, milk products because pets and other
animals may try to dig them up out of your compost
bin. Also don't use diseased garden plants. They can
spread disease back into the garden later when you use
the compost.
Don’t Use
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Meat
Bones
Cheese
Pet droppings
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Milk
Fats
Oils
Diseased plants
Add Leaves
It is easiest to build our
compost bin in layers
of ingredients. Start
with the brown stuff
by spreading a layer
of leaves or pine
needles about 6
inches thick.
Carbon Sources
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Here are some sources of carbon along with their
carbon-nitrogen ratio. You can use these numbers to
better determine how much brown and green stuff you
should use to make the best mix for composting.
Some things, such as sawdust, are very high in carbon
compared to their nitrogen content, while others, such
as leaves, are not so high.
Ideal ratio of C:N is 30:1.
Carbon Sources
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Dried leaves 60:1
Pine needles 90:1
Newspaper 125:1
Sawdust 625:1
Add Grass Clippings
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Next, for the green stuff,
add a layer of grass
clippings a few inches
thick.
It is helpful to mix the
layers up a little as you
make them.
Nitrogen Sources
Here are some sources of nitrogen along with their
carbon-nitrogen ratio. Once again, you can see that the
ratio varies a lot between the different ingredients.
Nitrogen Sources
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Food Scraps 15:1
Grass clippings 18:1
Coffee grounds 20:1
Horse manure 25:1
Shovel the Soil
Then sprinkle a
shovelful of soil or
compost to add
microorganisms to
the bin.
Watering
Each layer gets a good
sprinkling of water to
wet the ingredients. It is
important to wet each
layer as you build it.
Repeat each of the layers
until the bin is full and
then.....
Look in your handout:
Plant material should feel like
a ____________ ________.
Finished Bin!
...TAH DAHHHHH! the
microorganisms will go
to work breaking down
the ingredients into
humus. If you want
faster compost, you can
mix the ingredients every
few weeks but this isn't
necessary.
Compost "Critters"
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Now tiny microorganisms
(that you cannot see without
a microscope) go to work
breaking down the organic
matter into compost.
Later, as the compost cools
down, you may see larger
organisms such as millipedes,
sow bugs, earthworms and
others. Compost is teeming
with living things!
Soil microbes are the unsung heroes of a healthy environment, says a
University of Georgia scientist. And one gram of soil could have
several billion bacteria. It could contain as many as 5,000 kinds of
organisms.
How to add Food Scraps-
Plano's policy regarding food waste.
Plano (via the Health Dept.) doesn't encourage mixing food waste
into open,
backyard compost piles due to the possibility of attracting rodents.
Pocket composting, vermi-composting or using a latching cover for a
bin
are acceptable food composting methods.
Signs Compost is Ready to Use:
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The pile has shrunk
significantly, up to one-half its
original volume;
The original organic materials
that you put in are no longer
recognizable for what they were;
If you are using a hot
composting method, the pile
will be no longer generating a
significant amount of heat.
The compost has a dark
crumbly appearance and has an This is compost, the dark, earthy-smelling stuff is
earthy odor.
rich in nutrients.
Plants love it! Let's talk about how to use compost
to help plants grow
Compost is Ready after 1-12 Months,
Depending on the:
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Size of the materials placed in the compost system,
the degree of management,
and the intended use. Compost that will be used as
a top dressing or mulch can be applied after the
least amount of time. Compost that will be used for
growing plants in containers must be thoroughly
composted.
There are many terms for compost that is ready to
use. Some call it "stable," others call it "finished";
still others call it "mature".
Use Compost as Mulch
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You can use compost as
a mulch around garden
plants, like this rose
bush. Mulch protects the
soil and shades out weed
seeds.
Nutrients are washed out
into the soil with each
rain to feed the roots of
plants.
Mix Into Planting Hole
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Compost is great for
mixing into the soil when
you are planting a new
plant like this flower!
It helps a sandy soil hold
moisture and nutrients
better and improves clay
soils too.
Use Compost in Potting Soil
Compost mixed with some
sand makes a super
potting soil for growing
plants in containers.
Trench Composting
Another way to compost in the garden is by
trench composting.
Dumping Leaves in Trench
Start by placing leaves
in the trenches
between raised beds,
or in the pathways
through your garden.
Shoveling Compost from Trench
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By the end of the gardening
season these leaves will be
mostly decomposed and can
be scooped up and placed
around garden plants as an
excellent mulch.
Or, you can mix them into
the planting beds to improve
the soil.
Compost “Pockets”
Another way to compost in
the garden is by making
compost pockets. They
are easy and fun.
Covering With Soil
Next, cover the scraps
with soil to bury them
and fill the hole. Now
you can make more
compost pockets in
other locations!
After about a month or two
you can plant a flower or
maybe a tomato plant on
the spot where you make
the compost pocket.
Then stand back and
watch it grow!
Resources
Written and Produced by
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Master Composter Meetings first
Saturday of the month at the Plano
Children’s Discovery Garden on
Plano Parkway between Coit and
Ohio. Call to confirm:
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Deb Bliss
City of Plano
Compost Marketing and
Education Coordinator
972.769.4313
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http://www.plano.gov/Departmen
ts/Environmental+Services/Texas
_Pure/master_composter.htm
Robert E Richter
CEA-Horticulture, Travis County
Texas Agricultural Extension
Service
Master Composter Training
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Learn the secret of gardening success in North Texas! Join this 16-hour class
and receive in-depth instruction on composting and worm composting, as
well as an opportunity to build a compost pile. Participants will receive a
compost bin, worms, T-shirt and book.
Participants are required to provide the City of Plano with 40 hours of
volunteer service over a 12-month period in compost-related outreach
programs. Upon completion of their volunteer hours, individuals receive
certification as a Master Composter by the state of Texas and a compost
thermometer from the City of Plano.
A $30 materials fee will be collected at the first class. Classes will be
held at Parkway Service Center, 4120 W. Plano Parkway on Thursday,
Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 3 from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday,
November 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Attendance at all three sessions is
required. To register, call (972) 769-4313.