composting: the rotten truth anne kolaczyk purdue university master gardener ©2006anne kolaczyk
Post on 22-Dec-2015
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Composting:the rotten truth
Anne KolaczykPurdue University Master Gardener
©2006Anne Kolaczyk
CompostingComposting is the transformation of organic material (plant matter) through decomposition into a soil-like material called compost.
Invertebrates (insects and earthworms), and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) help in this transformation.
Kinds Bin composting Tumbler composting Sunken pail composting Sheet composting Anaerobic composting Vermicomposting
Why do it Environmentally responsible
Keeps biodegradable waste out of landfills and sewage plants
Alternative to burning Gives you a vibrant garden
without chemical fertilizers Saves money Learning tool
What it involves Adding ingredients Maintaining proper temperature Turning Maintaining moisture Harvesting
Bin composting
“backyard composting”
Composting bins Ready made Homemade Bin-less pile
Ready made Expensive Limited capacity Good if space is an
issue
Homemade Three bins are best
One to fill One that’s “cooking” One to turn others into or to draw from
Bin-less pile Just a pile with no partitions Hard to maintain sufficient depth to
achieve high enough temperatures Easy and nothing to build Moveable
What you can compost Yard waste Kitchen scraps Newspaper Cardboard
What not to compost Meat scraps Bones Dairy products Pet waste Diseased plants Invasive weeds
C:N ratio Should be 30 parts carbon to 1 part
nitrogen by weight Grass Clippings 19:1 Leaves 40:1
Equal weight of each would give you approximately 30:1 ratio for pile
What’s what Brown (Carbon)
Leaves Dirt Grocery bags Bird seed hulls Wood chips
Green (Nitrogen) Grass clippings Plant clippings Fertilizer Coffee grounds
C:N ratio, my take
Whatever!
Care of compost Passive
Let sit Takes months and months
Active Turn often Keep moist (H2O 40-60% of weight) Have proper ratio of C:N (30:1) 2-6 weeks (depending on ingredients)
Let’s get realConcerns Solutions
I don’t have room Use commercial bin
It takes too long Maintain proper conditions Cut up large pieces
It smells Not if you maintain C:N ratio
Temps too low to kill diseases, fungi, weed seeds
Use local community composting facility for problem pieces, compost the rest
Attracts animals Bury food waste in center
Uses Early stages as mulch
Keeps weeds from growing Helps retain moisture Beneficial minerals go into soil
Later stages for soil amending Enriches soil Helps with moisture retention
Removes/reduces need for chemical fertilizers that leach into our ground water
What method is right for me??? How much space do I have?
Is it indoor or outdoor or both?
What do I want to compost? How much waste do I have a week?
How and where do I want to use the compost? How much time can I spend on it a week? What’s my ewww! factor? How committed am I to composting?
Resources Purdue Extension office Library Internet
Anaerobic
Vermi
Sheet
Pail
Tumbler
Bin
composting
Just do it!