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SE 053 166

Bonhotal, Jean F.; Krasny, Marianne E.Composting: Wastes to Resources. 4-HLeader's/Teacher's Guide.Cornell. Univ., Ithaca, N.Y. Cooperative ExtensionService.Apr 9064p.; Oversize posters reproduced in sections.Cornell Waste Management Institute, Center for theEnvironment, Cornell University, 468 Hollister Hall,Ithaca, NY 14853-3501.Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (ForTeacher) (052)

MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.Elementary Secondary Education; *EnvironmentalEducation; "*Recycling; Solid Wastes; *StudentProjects; *Waste Disposal; Worksheets*Composting

This guide is designed for adult volunteer leaders,camp counselors, and teachers who want to set up composting projects

with youth. Five sections explore: (1) an introduction to compostingwith illustrated instructions for making compost; (2) differentmethods of composting and structures needed for various compostingsystems; (3) how to identify and fix problems in compost piles t ing

a problem-solving exercise worksheet; (4) six ideas for what can be

done with compost; and (5) a series of six compost investigationswith student worksheets. Each teacher reproducible investigationcovers one or more "compost concept." Concepts include the importanceof air, microorganisms, soil ,animals and compost food chains,organisms that break down wastes, biodegradable and nonbiodegradablewastes, air and size of wastes, and wastes as resources.Investigations involve students in observing, collecting data,recording data, and analyzing results. Additional reproducibleworksheets contain a compost project record sheet and designs fordifferent composting systems. Two posters illustrate how compostingworks and composting instructions. Black- and- w'iite illustrations makeinstructions easy to follow. Contains a 30-word glossary and alisting of 15 additional resources. (LZ)

********************************************************:***********

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

***********************************************************************

EX PERIENCE

4-H NATURAL RESOURCES

Composting:Wastes to Resources

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2

Contents

Leader's/Teacher's Guide Designs for Composting Systems

Composting: Wastes to Resources

Compost Project Record

Posters

Best Ever Compost

How Does Composting Work?

Compost Mound Wood and Wire Three-Bin Turning Unit

Wire Mesh Bin Worm Composting Bin

Snow Fence Bin Garbage Can Composter

Cinder Block Bin Compost Pockets

Wooden Box Bin Mulch

Cinder Block Turning Unit

3

EXPERIENCE

4-H NATURAL RESOURCES

Composting:Wastes to Resources

Jean F. Bonhotal

Marianne E. Krasny

=mmirom4-H Leader's/Teacher's Guide

A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication

4

Composting: Wastes to Resources

Contents

Introduction 1

Getting Started 1

SECTION IWelcome to Composting!

Best Ever Compost

How Does Composting Work?

2

5

9

SECTION IIWhich Composting System Is for Me? 12

Composting Systems 13

SECTION IIIMy Compost Isn't Working! 16

SECTION IVWhat Can I Do with My Compost? 18

SECTION VCompost Investigations 19

SECTION VIGlossary 34

SECTION VIIFinding Out More about Composting 35

Illustrations by Tamara Sayre

Jean F. Bonhotal is an extension sup-port specialist for the Cornell WasteManagement Institute.

Marianne E. Krasny is an assistantprofessor in the Department of NaturalResources, Cornell University.

This publication was developed tosupport 4-H programs in New YorkState.

The authors thank the following per-sons for their contributions to this publi-cation: Robert E. Kozlowski, extensionassociate, Department of Floricultureand Ornamental Horticulture; andThomas Richard, senior research sup-port specialist, Nancy Dixon, environ-mental planner, and Howard Longhouse,lecturer, Department of Agriculturaland Biological Engineering, CornellUniversity.

The authors also thank the Seattle Engi-neering Department and the SeattleTilth Association for granting permis-sion to Cornell Cooperative Extensionto adapt the designs of their com-posting systems.

The illustration on page 24 is modifiedfrom Dindal, Ecology of Compost: APublic Involvement Project.

IntroductionComposting: Wastes to Resourcesis designed for adult volunteerleaders, camp counselors, andteachers who want to set up corn-posting projects with youth. Thisguide explains what composting isand how it works and describesdifferent composting systems.(Specific designs for building corn-

Getting StartedInterest is the first step in gettingstarted on a project. As a leaderplanning to work with youth on acomposting project, you are proba-bly already interested in com-posting. If you work with youth whoare concerned about environmentalproblems, particularly solid wastedisposal, then it should be easy toget them involved. Youth who like togarden may also develop an interestin composting.

Knowledge is the second step ingetting started on a project. Wesuggest you read Sections I throughIV to learn more about composting.Then meet with your youth groupand get them started. The two post-ers included in your pocket folder"Best Ever Compost" and "HowDoes Composting Work?"will helpyour group understand composting.

The youth in your group may want towork together to build a compostingsystem, or each may want to buildhis or her own system. Once your

6

posting systems are included in yourpocket folder.) Solutions to problemsthat may arise in composting areprovided as well as suggestionsabout how to use your compost. TheCompost Investigations and list ofresourres will help you and the youthin your group learn more aboutcomposting.

group has decided which corn-posting system(s) to build, providethe members with photocopies of theinstructions in the pocket folder.

Sometimes a corn posting systemdoesn't work. Use Section III to pre-vent or identify and solve corn-posting problems. Reinforce whatyour group has learned with theproblem-solving exercise in thatsection, which can be copied anddistributed.

After the youth in your group havemade compost (or have partially fin-ished compost), they can learn moreabout the composting process byconducting one or more of theinvestigations in Section V. Theinstructions and record sheet foreach investigation can be copiedand distributed. You can also pro-vide copies of the Compost ProjectRecord found in the pocket folder.

Good luck with your compostingproject!

1

Section I

Welcome toComposting

What is Composting?

Composting occurs naturally nearlyeverywhere! Leaves drop from trees.Grass clippings are left after mowingthe lawn. Plants and animals die.Over time, these organic materialsbreak down or decompose. The rich,dark, soil-like material that results iscalled compost.

Tiny living things do much of thework of breaking down organic ma-terials to form compost. These tinyworkers are called microorganismsand include such things as bacteriaand fungi. Animals living in the soilhelp microorganisms break downorganic materials. Worms and pillbugs are examples of soil animalsthat help change organic wastes intocompost.

2

As microorganisms and soil animalsturn organic materials into compost,they use the organic materials asfood. The organic materials providenutrients for growth and activity.Eventually, these nutrients are re-turned to the soil, to be used againby trees, grass, and other plants.This is nature's way of compostingand recycling!

7

Why Compost?

With the composting methods de-scribed in this manual, you can helpthe composting cycle work evenbetter than it does in nature. Theorganic wastes you put back into theenvironment can be used by otherliving things. This way, instead ofgoing to a landfill or garbac '-)urn-

ing plant, your wastes bec, valu-able resources.

Composting can be fun! Itallows you to get acquaintedwith many new organisms,including me and myneighbors.

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Yard waste and food scraps makeup 20 to 30 percent of garbage!Many landfills are filling up and clos-ing. Finding places to put garbage isa big problem. By composting yardand kitchen wastes, you send lessgarbage to landfills.

Gardeners use compost. Compostallows the soil to hold more waterand adds nutrients to the soil. Flow-ers, vegetables, trees, shrubs,house plants, lawns, and containergardens grow better in soil mixedwith compost.

4

Best Ever Compost

Just Follow the Recipe!Composting is like baking a cake.Simply add the ingredients, stir,"bake," and out comescompost!

Whether you compost kitchenwastes or yard and garden wastes,there are a few basic steps to follow.Here are the necessary ingredientsand general directions for corn-posting.

Ingredients

KITCHEN COMPOST

Add a mixture of some or all of the followingingredients:

vegetable peelsand seeds

fruit peels andseeds

coffee grounds

Note: (Do not add meat scraps, bones, dairy products,ails, or fat. They may attract pasty animals.)

egg shells

nut shells

any other vegetableor fruit scraps

RU 1-r scRAps

ECICT SHELLS

COFFEE GROUNDS

SEEDS

YARD OR GARDEN COMPOST

Add a mixture of some or all of the followingingredients:

hay or straw

grass clippings

leaves

ashes

sawdust

wood chips

weeds and other gardenwaste

manure

shredded paper

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8. If you mix or turn your compost pile every week, itshould be "done," or ready to use, in one to twomonths. If you don't turn it, the compost should beready in about six to twelve months.

9. Your "best ever compost" should look like dark crum-bly soil mixed with small pieces of organic material. Itshould have a sweet, earthy smell.

10. Feed compost to hungry plants by mixing it with thesoil.

8

How Does Composting Work?

1. We are the key to composting.Normally, we live in the soil andeat small tidbits of organic mattersuch as leaves and twigs thatnature hands out to us. We wouldlike to have more to eat. A lot of thethings that you call wasteforexample, banana peelc, rottenapples, brown wilted lettuce,fallen leaves, and weeds fromyour gardenare food for us.

2. We need a balanced diet! Weneed carbon for energy and nitro-gen to help build our bodies.Some of your wastes are high incarbon. These include

paper

sawdust

wood chips

straw

leaves.

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food scraps

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Be sure to include a mixture of wasteshigh in carbon and wastes high in nitro-gen in your compost pile.

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6. We must be able to get to ourfood! It is harder for us to eat largepieces of food than to eat smallpieces of food. For example, if youthrow a whole apple into yourcompost pile, only a few of us caneat it at a time. If you cut up yourapple into small pieces, then a lotof us can get to it at once.

7.. If you supply all these thingsfood, air, and moisture in a good-sized pilewe will be glad tomake compost for you. Our jobcan take from six weeks to threeyears, depending on how youcare for us. When we have com-pleted our work, the compost willbe ready to help your plants grow.

11

Section II

Which CompostingSystem Is for Me?

There are many ways to compostwastes. Some methods need abackyard, and others can be usedby apartment dwellers. The methodof composting you choose will de-pend on whether you plan to com-post yard wastes or kitchen wastes,how much money and time you wishto spend, how much room you have,and how soon you need the com-post.

To determine which compostingsystem is for you, first decidewhether you will be composting yardand garden or kitchen wastes. Thenread the brief comparisons of thedifferent systems on the chart below.More information on each corn-posting system follows.

System Used CostTime for Finished Compost(Rale of Composting)

Compost mound

Holding unit

Turning unit

Mulch

Commercial bin

Yard WasteNone

Low

High; lower if scrap and recycledmaterials are used for construction

Low

High

Compost pockets

Garbage can composter

Worm composting bin

Turning unit

None

Low

Medium

High

Kitchen Waste

Slow if not turned; fast if turned often

Slow

Fast, minimum 6 weeks

Can use immediately, but material should beshredded

Fast, minimum 2 weeks

Can use immediately

Slow; faster if turned or mixed

Fast, minimum 4 weeks

Fast, minimum 6 weeks

Note: Kitchen and yard wastes can be composted together, but the combination may attract rodents.

12

Composting SystemsWastes can be composted usingany of a number of systems, fromsimple to elegant. The simplest de-signs are inexpensive and requirerelatively little work. The fancier sys-temsfor example, a wood and wireturning unit or a worm compostingbincan cost $100 or more. Theymake excellent woodworking proj-ects for youth.

The descriptions that follow are abrief introduction to the differenttypes of composting systems. Moredetailed instructions on how to buildparticular composting systems orbins are in the pocket folder.

Holding Unit

A holding unit can be any simplecontainer that holds your yard andgarden wastes while they breakdown. Once your holding unit is built,no other work is required exceptplacing wastes into the container.Because the amount of air reachingthe waste is not increased by turn-ing, this method takes a relativelylong time to produce compostfromsix months to two years. You canspeed up the process by choppingor shredding the wastes.

Garbage Can Composter

A garbage can can be used to com-post food wastes. This system is notfancy, but it works. It is best to turnyour wastes with this method.

Nonwood materials such as grassclippings and garden weeds workbest in a holding unit. These ma-terials can be added continuously.Designs for four types of holdingunits are included in the pocketfolder: a wire mesh bin, a snow fencebin, a cinder block bin, and awooden box bin. You may want todesign your own holding unit.

10

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13

Mulch

Mulch is placed on top of the soil ingardens or around trees to suppressweeds, keep soil moist, keep plantroots cool in summer and warm inwinter, and prevent soil from wash-ing away or becoming hard. Yardwastes can be used as mulch andplaced around plants in the gardenor along paths and in play areas. Theonly costs are your time and work.You can also mulch with compostmade using one of the methods de-scribed in this manual.

Worm Composting Bin

A worm composting bin, if built withcare, can look quite elegant and caneven be used as a bench. After youhave built the bin, provided bedding,and located a source of worms, aworm bin requires relatively littlemaintenance. Simply add kitchenwastes as they become available.

14

Turning Unit

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A turning unit looks like three holdingunits placed side by side. While thecompost in one bin is "cooking," youadd wastes to the empty bin rightnext to it. As you might haveguessed from its name, in a turningunit the wastes are stirred or turnedevery week or so. This speeds up thecomposting process by allowingmore air to reach the microorgan-

isms and soil animals in the compostpile. However, it requires a lot of timeand energy!

You can use a turning unit for eitheryard or kitchen wastes. If you plan tocompost food scraps, be sure tobuild a unit that prevents nuisanceanimals from getting to the wastes.

When putting wastes in a turningunit, do not add too much of any onematerial at a time. This is importantbecause the microorganisms in theturning unit need a variety of nutri-

Compost Pockets

This method also doesn't require building a bin. Yousimply bury your wastes in the ground.

ents. Either add thin layers of differ-ent kinds of organic materials or mixyour wastes together.

When the microorganisms in a turn-ing unit have the right mixture ofnutrients and enough air, they workvery quickly and give off a lot of heat.The organic materials in a turningunit can heat up to about 150°F(66°C). If you turn your compost pileas the temperature starts to drop, themicroorganisms get more air and anew mixture of materials. They startworking very hard again, and yourpile heats up. Keep turning your pileuntil the compost is ready. A "hot"pile makes compost in about onemonth.

You can design and make your ownturning unit by using either cinderblocks or wood to build three holdingunits right next to each other (see theinstructions in the pocket folder).

Compost Mound

A compost mound doesn't require a binyou just pileyour organic wastes in a mound.

15

Section III

My Compost Isn't Working

HELP! My compost isn't working!

Use the following ;hart to identify and fix problems in yourcompost pile. The problem-solving exercise that followscan be copied and distributed to the youth in your group.It shows the importance of air, moisture, and the size of thepile when making compost, as well as the need to balancewastes and protect the pile from nuisance animals.

Symptom Problem How to Fix It

Pile is wet and smells like a mixtureof rancid butter, vinegar, and rotteneggs

Pile doesn't heat up

Pile is damp and sweet smelling but

Not enough air

Or too much nitrogen

Or too wet

Pile is too small

Or pile is too dry

Turn pile

Add straw, sawdust, or wood chips

Turn pile and add straw, sawdust,or wood chips; provide drainage

Make pile larger

Add water

Not enough nitrogen Add grass clippings or other sourceswill not heat up of nitrogen

Center is dry and contains toughmaterials

Pile is attracting animals

Not enough water Add water and turn

Meat and other animal Keep meat and other animal productsproducts have been out of the pile; enclose pile in 1/4-inchadded hardware cloth

16

Solving Problems in Your Compost Pile

Name:

Date:

How might you solve these compost problems?

1. My compost pile isn't warming up. I should

2. My neighbor has a compost pile that smells like rotten eggs. She should

3. Our school compost pile seems too wet. We should

17

Section IV

What Can I Do with My Compost?

1. Spread compost on your gardenbefore rototilling or turning the soil inthe spring. Then mix the compost intothe soil while rototilling or turning.

4. Use compost as amulch for shrubs,trees, and plants.

2. Place or bury compost in your garden betweenplant rows. The plant roots will grow into the com-post and take up the nutrients.

tdi

3. In flower gardens, dig in compostaround the plants.

5. When transplanting house plants,add compost to the soil.

6. Use your compost for some ofthe Compost Investigations inSection V of this guide.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

11

Composting Don't

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Section v

CompostInvestigationsEach compost investigation in-cluded in this section covers one ormore "compost concept." Followingis a list of the investigations andconcepts. Choose one or more of theinvestigations, depending on whichconcepts you think are important foryour youth group to understand.

Investigations Concepts

How Hot Is My Comoost?

Discover Composting Microorganisms

Discover Compost Animals Importance of soil animals

Compost food chains

Importance of air

Importance of microorganisms

Watching Wastes Rot I

Watching Wastes Rot II

Growing Plants with Compost

Importance of organisms that break down wastes

Biodegradable and nonbiodegradable wastes

Importance of air and size of wastes

Wastes to resources

24 19

How Hot Is My Compost?When your compost pile is workingideally, it will get hot. The tempera-ture can rise to 150°F (66°C) duringthe composting process. In the win-ter, if the compost is working fast,snow will melt on the pile and youmay even see water vapor comingoff the top. The center of the pile willbe warm to the touch.

Turning your compost pile adds airto the pile. Because the microorgan-isms and soil animals in the pile needair to do their work, turning the pileincreases their activity. What effectdoes turning the compost pile haveon its temperature?

What You Need

candy or meat thermometer

work gloves

record sheet

pencil

20

What to Do

As your compost pile works, take itstemperature. Wearing a glove, placethe thermometer deep into the cen-ter of the pile. Record the tempera-ture on the Compost TemperatureRecord.

Compost Temperature Record

Name:

Date compost pile started:

Today's date.

Date last turned:

Temperature (°F or °C)

Observations (smell, color of material):

What effect did turning the pile have on its temperature?

What effect does turning have on the speed of breaking down material in acompost pile? Why?

`2621

Discover CompostingMicroorganismsThe insects, worms, bacteria, andfungi found in your compost pile dothe work of composting. You can seesome soil animals with the nakedeye. For microorganisms, you needa hand lens or a microscope.

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sample of compost

glass slide

hand lens or microscope

record sheet

pencil

22

What to Do

Put a compost sample on a glassslide with a drop of water. Observethe sample under a hand lens ormicroscope. Draw pictures of whatyou see. If possible, identify the or-ganisms you see.

Discover Composting Microorganisms Record

Name:

Date:

Draw pictures of the microorganisms that you see in your compost sample.Can you name any of the organisms?

9C/

23

Discover Compost AnimalsMicroorganisms and soil animals,such as worms and insects, breakdown the organic material in yourcompost pile to form compost. Butmany other animals that don't eatwastes also live in your compost pile.

What do these animals eat? They eatthe microorganisms and animals

that break down the compost! Stillother animals eat the animals thateat the microorganisms and animalsthat eat the organic wastes.

A food web is a group of organismsthat feed on or are eaten by eachother. Here is a diagram of the foodweb in your compost pile.

oftG.N1/411c- RasiPuES

24

Would you like to observe some ofthe animals that live in your compostpile in person? You can do so bymaking an insect trap called aBerlese funnel.

What You Need

small piece of window screen

large diameter funnel

small jar with soapy water

container to hold funnel (a smallplastic bucket will work)

compost sample

light source

hand lens or dissectingmicroscope

record sheet

pencil

BERLESEFUNNEL

What to Do

Cut the screen to the diameter of thefunnel about two-thirds of the waydown from the top of the funnel.Place the screen into the funnel.

Fill the jar half full with soapy water.Put the jar in the bottom of the con-tainer.

Put the funnel with screen into thecontainer so that the bottom of thefunnel is suspended above the jarwith soapy water.

Put the compost sample into thefunnel.

Place the light source over the top ofthe funnel. Leave for several hours orovernight. The soil animals will crawlaway from the light source to thebottom of the compost in the funnel.Then they will fall into the soapywater and die.

Pour the excess soapy water out ofthe jar. Observe the soil animals withthe naked eye, under a hand lens, orwith a dissecting microscope. Doycu recognize any of the animalsfrom the diagram of the compostfood web? Record your observa-tions.

30 25

Discover Compost Animals Record

Name:

Date.

Draw a picture of the animals that you see in your compost sample.

Can you name any of the animals? The picture on page 24 will help you.

What role do these animals play in the food web?

26

3 1

Watching Wastes Rot ISome wastes break down faster thanothers in a compost pile. Somematerials never break down in acompost pile.

Microorganisms and soil animals domost of the work of breaking downwastes in compost. Do you thinkwastes will break down if these or-ganisms are not present? How longwill it take?

What You Need

flower pots

compost sample

sterile potting soil, perlite orvermiculite (sterile mix)

organic wastes, such as orangepeels and apple cores

paper wastes, such as paper nap-kins and paper bags

plastic wastes, such as styrofoamchips and plastic bags

labels that stick on the pots

record sheet

pencil

What to Oo

Fill half the flower pots half full withcompost. Fill the other half of thepots half full with sterile mix.

Gather your organic, paper, andplastic wastes. Place one-half ofeach waste in a pot with compostand the other half in a pot with sterilemix. For example, place one applecore in a compost pot and one applecore in a sterile pot. Place three sty-

rofoam chips in another compost potand three styrofoam chips in anothersterile pot. Label the pots with thenames of the wastes.

Compost

Cover the wastes with compost orsterile mix, filling the pots. Aid waterto all the pots so that the compostand sterile mix are damp but not wetto the touch. Check your pots everyfew days to be sure they are stillmoist.

After one week, examine the wastesin each pot. Which wastes are de-composing? Cover the wastesagain, and continue to check themonce a week for as long as you want.Record your observations.

Sterile mix

27

Watching Wastes Rot I Record

Name: Date experiment started.

Fill in the following table each time you check your pots. Under "Waste," write the name of the item that you buriedin the pot. Under "Compost," describe the condition of the item buried in compost each time you check it. Includesuch things as how decomposed the item looks, what color it is, and whether or not you see fungi (spots or thinstrands) on it. Under "Sterile Mix," describe in the same way the condition of the item buried in sterile mix.

Date: Time since waste was buried:

Waste

2.

3.

4.

5

Compost Sterile Mix

Which items decomposed most quickly?

Which items didn't decompose at all?

In general, did items decompose more quickly in compost or in sterile mix? Why do you think this is true?

28

Watching Wastes Rot IIThe organisms in a compost pileneed air. When there is not enoughair, the organisms die. New organ-isms that can survive without aircome into the compost pile. Thesenew organisms produce a gas thathas a nasty smell.

The organisms in a compost pile alsoneed to be able to get at the wastesto break them down. Is it easier forthe organisms to get at large piecesof waste or small pieces?

Let's investigate how long it takes tobreak down wastes in the presenceand absence of air. Let's also seehow long it takes to break downwastes of different sizes.

What You Need

wide-mouth jars

compost sample

organic wastes (you may use oneor several kinds of wastes)

flower pots

labels for jars and pots

record sheet

pencil

What to Do

Fill two wide-mouth jars half full withcompost. Place equal amounts of aparticular waste in each jar. Then fillthe rest of both jars with compost,burying the waste. Fill the first jar withwater and place a lid on the jar. Addjust enough water to the second jarso the compost is damp but not wetto the tcJch. Leave the second jarexposed to air. (Check on the sec-ond jar every few days to make surethe compost is still moist, but do notoverwater.)

Repeat the procedure with otherwastes. Label each jar with the nameof the waste placed in it.

Take two more equal portions of aparticular waste. Cut the first portion

34

into small pieces. Leave the secondportion uncut. Fill two flower pots halffull with compost. Place the cut-upwaste in the first pot and the uncutwaste in the second pot. Cover thewastes with compost, filling the pots.Add water to the pots so that thecompost is damp but not wet to thetouch. Check your pots every fewdays to be sure they are still moist,but do not overwater.

Repeat the procedure with otherwastes. Label each pot with thename of the waste placed in it andwhether the waste is cut up or uncut.

Check your wastes after two weeks.Which wastes are decomposing?Record your observations.

29

Watching Wastes Rot 11 Record

Name:

Date: Date experiment started:

Fill in the following table. Under "Waste," write the name of the item that you buried in the jar or pot. Under "Compost,"describe the condition of the item buried in the compost. Include such things as how decomposed the item looks,what color it is, and whether or not you see fungi (spots or thin strands) on it.

1

2.

Waste

4.

5.

30

Exposed to Air Compost(yes or no)

1

2.

3.

4

5.

Waste Cut/ Uncut Compost(C or U)

Did items decompose faster in the jar with air or the jar with water?

Was there a smell coming from either jar? If yes, what caused the smell?

Were items more decomposed when they were cut up or uncut? Why?

31

Growing Plants withCompostSee how your garden grows! Addingcompost to the soil can increase thesoil's ability to hold water. In addition,compost can add nutrients to thesoil. This helps the plants in yourgarden to grow.

On the other hand, it is difficult forseeds to sprout in pure compost. Infact, sensitive seeds may even bekilled by a fungus if you try to sproutthem in compost. This problem oc-curs mostly when the organic ma-terial is not completely broken down.

Let's do an experiment to see ifadding compost to the soil has aneffect on the sprouting of seeds andthe growth of plants.

What You Need

flower pots or cups with drainageholes

gravel for drainage

compost

perlite

seeds (bean, pea, radish, orlettuce seeds work well)

colored toothpicks

record sheet

pencil

32

What to Do

Put one inch (2.5 cm) of gravel in thebottom of each of the flower pots.Label the pots 1 to 4.

Add compost only to pot 1.

Using a measuring cup or other plas-tic cup, measure one part compostand an equal amount of perlite. Mixthe compost and perlite togetherthoroughly. Fill pot 2 with this 1-to-1compost-to-perlite mixture.

Using a measuring cup orother plas-tic cup, measure one part compostand three parts perlite. Mix the com-post and perlite together thoroughly.Fill pot 3 with this 1-to-3 compost-to-perlite mixture.

Fill pot 4 with 100 percent perlite.

Plant three to four seeds of the samespecies in each pot. Bean seeds arefast growing and easy to observe,but many seeds will do.

Water your seeds following the in-structions on the package. Makesure you add the same amount ofwater to each pot.

After four or five days, your seedsshould have sprouted. Count thenumber of seeds that have sproutedin each of the four pots. Record thenumber of seeds that have sproutedon your Growing Plants with Com-post Record. Then thin extra plantsso you have one plant in each pot.

Follow the growth of your plants forfour to five weeks. Once a week,measure the height of the plant ineach pot. Record the height of theplants on your Growing Plants withCompost Record. Note if any plantsdie.

After five weeks, count the number ofsurviving plants. Compare the num-ber of surviving plants in the differentmixtures of compost and perlite.Then measure the height of ,theplants.

Note: To be more scientific, youmay want to have more than one potfor each of the four compost "treat-ments."

Growing Plants with Compost Record

Name:

Plant species: Date planted:

Sprouting

Date Pot number Number of seeds sprouted

Growth

Date Pot number Plant Height

Summary

What effect did the compost have on the sprouting of the seeds? Why?

What effect did the compost have on the growth of the plants? Why?

'3833

vvlSection VI

Glossary

Actinomycetes. Microorganismsthat have the characteristics of bothfungi and bacteria. Actinomycetescreate cobweb-like growthsthroughout the compost and givecompost an earthy aroma.

Bacteria. In a compost pile, themicroorganisms that do most of thework to decompose wastes. Hard-working bacteria cause the compostpile to heat up. Under a microscope,bacteria look like small round or rod-shaped organisms.

Carbon. An element that is abun-dant in wood chips, sawdust, straw,and leaves. Carbon provides energyfor living things.

Celsius (C). A temperature scale inwhich 0° is freezing and 100° is boil-ing. [Degrees in Celsius = 5/9 x(degrees in Fahrenheit - 32)]

Compost. A rich soil-like mixturethat is produced when organic ma-terials break down.

Compost mound. A pile of yard,garden, or kitchen wastes that is notcontained by a bin; the wastes take 6months to 2 years to break down,depending on the amount of turning.

Compost pocket. A small hole in theground containing yard, garden, orkitchen wastes that are buried insmall amounts and left to breakdown.

Composting. Converting organicwastes into a rich soil-like material.

Composting system. The methodused to convert organic wastes intocompost (e.g., a compost mound, acompost pocket, a holding unit, or aturning unit).

Damping-off disease. A plant dis-ease caused by a fungus that dam-ages plant roots; the damping-offdisease fungus is found in soils andcompost and may cause youngplants to die.

34

Decompose. To break down or rot.

Fahrenheit (F). A temperature scalein which 32°F is freezing and 212°Fis boiling. [Degrees in Fahrenheit =(9/5 x degrees in Celsius) + 32.]

Fungi. Organisms such as molds,yeast, and mushrooms that feed ondead organic matter.

Holding unit. A simple containerthat holds yard, garden, and kitchenwastes while they break down.

Invertebrate. An animal without abackbone, such as an insect orworm.

Kitchen wastes. Food scraps, zilchas potato peels, apple cores, moldyfood, and wilted lettuce.

Microorganism. A tiny living thingthat is so small you need a micro-scope or magnifying glass to see it.Microorganisms help break downorganic wastes.

Millipede. A tiny worm-shaped ani-mai with many pairs of legs. Milli-pedes live in soil and compost.

Mite. A tiny animal, no bigger than apinhead, that lives in soil and com-post.

Mulch. A covering, such as leaves,straw, peat moss, or compost, that isplaced on top of the soil in garoensand around trees. Mulch suppressesweeds, keeps soil moist, and keepsplant roots cool in summer and warmin winter.

Nitrogen. An element that is found infood scraps, grass clippings, andmanure. Nitrogen is used by livingthings for growth.

Nutrient. A food ingredient thatsupplies energy for living andgrowth.

Organic material. Matter that hascome from living things (plants andanimals).

Per lite/vermiculite. A lightweightmaterial that is used for starting plantseeds.

Pill bug. A small animal that lives imoist soil and rolls up in a little ballwhen it is threatened or scared.

Potworm. A small worm that lives insoil and compost.

Roundworms (also known asnematodes). The most abundant in-vertebrates in the soil. These smallworms (less than one centimeter)prey on fungal spores, protozoa (atype of microorganism), and eachother and are very good for compost.

Solid waste. Household trash, yardand kitchen wastes, old machineryand equipment, and many agricul-tural and industrial wastesitemsthat people throw out.

Turning. In a compost pile, mixingand moving the organic material.

Turning unit. Three holding unitsbuilt next to each other. After com-post has been i one bin longenough to start breaking down, it isturned into the next bin. Wastes fromthe top and sides are put on thebottom and middle, and wastes fromthe bottom and middle are put on thetop and sides. This way, more airreaches the compost and it breaksdown quickly. New wastes areadded to the empty bin rather than tocompost that is already started.

Yard and garden wastes. Grassclippings, dead leaves, smallbranches, and weeds.

Section VII

Finding Out Moreabout Composting

To find out more about composting,you will want to read the followingpublications.

Appelhof, Mary. 1982. Worms EatMy Garbage. Kalamazoo, Mich.:Flower Press,

Cobb, Vicki. 1981. Lots of Rot. NewYork: J. B. Lippincott Junior Books.

Cornell Waste Management Insti-tute, 1988. Composting. (A three-panel display and accompanyingfact sheet on composting. True/false questions wired to light upwhen questions are correctly an-swered.) Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell Co-operative Extension. (Available onloan from Cornell University Distri-bution Center, 7 Cornell Bush essand Technology Park, ithaca, NY14850.)

Dickson, Nancy, Thomas Richard,Robert Kozlowski, and RogerKline. 1990. Home CompostingGuide. Ithaca, N.Y.: Department ofAgricultural and Biological Engi-neering, Cornell University. Inpress.

Dindal, Daniel. 1972. Ecology ofCompost: A Public InvolvementProject. Syracuse, N.Y.: Office ofPublic Service and ContinuingEducation, State University of NewYork, College of EnvironmentalScience and Forestry.

Hallowell, Ann, Carrie Morgan, JohnReindl, Dan Sivek, Larry Sperling,and Dennis Yockers. 1988. Recy-cling Study Guide. PUBL-IE-02087. Wisconsin Department ofNatural Resources.

International Process Systems, Inc.1987. Compost Facts. Lebanon,Conn. (Available from Interna-tional Process Systems, Inc.,Lebanon, CT 06249, 203/642-6670.)

MacDaniels, L.H., and R. E. Kozlow-ski. 1985. Compost for the HomeGarden. Ithaca, N.Y.: CornellCooperative Extension. (141HGFS700.00. Available from CornellUniversity Distribution Center, 7Cornell Business and TechnologyPark, Ithaca, NY 14850).

Michigan State University Extension.Backyard Composting. East Lan-sing, Mich.: Cooperative Exten-sion Service (WM02).

Michigan State University Extension.Municipal Yard Waste Com-posting. East Lansing, Mich.:Cooperative Extension Service(WM04).

Richard, Thomas. 1988. HomeComposting Educational Materi-als List. Ithaca, N.Y.: CornellWaste Management Institute. (Alisting of resource materials.)

40

Richard, Thomas, and NancyDickson. 1990. Yard Waste Com-posting A Planning Guide. Ithaca,N.Y.: Department of Agriculturaland Biological Engineering, Cor-nell University. In press.

Richard, Thomas, and NancyDickson. 1990. Yard Waste Com-posting: Operations Manual.Ithaca, N.Y.: Department of Agri-cultural and Biological Engineer-ing, Cornell University. In press.

Strom , PeterS.,and Melvin S. Finstein,1986. Leaf Composting Manual forNew Jersey Municipalities. NewBrunswick, N.J.: Department ofEnvironmental Protection.

Woestendiek, Carl, Craig H. Benton,Jeffrey P. Gage, and HowardStenn. 1987. Master ComposterResource Manual. Seattle, Wash.:Community Composting Educa-tion Program, Seattle Tilth Asso-ciation and Seattle EngineeringDepartment's Solid Waste Utility.

35

Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Natural Resources Publications

Fisheries and AquaticResourcesBasic Fly Tying. Available fromMedia Services. 147L-5-5, $1.65,19 pages.

Exploring Freshwater Fisheries.Available from Media Services.147L-5-7, $2.50, 24 pages.

Let's Go Fishing. Available fromMedia Services. 147L-5-6, $2.00,33 pages.

Let's Go Ice Fishing. Availablefrom Media Services. 147L-5-15,$1.75, 20 pages.

Sportfishing and Aquatic Re-sources Education Program (SA-REP) Fishing Journal. Availablefrom DNR, $1.00.

Sportfishing and Aquatic Re-sources Education Program(SAREP) Leader's Manual. Avail-able from DNR, $40.00, 245 pages.

Sportfishing and Aquatic Re-sources Education Program(SAREP) Member's Manual. Avail-able from DNR, $2.50, 161 pages.

Water Wise: Lessons in WaterResources. Available from DNR,$4.00, 87 pages.

Water Worlds. Available fromMedia Services. 147L- and M-5-18,$5.35.

ForestryBackyard Maple Syrup. Availablefrom Media Services. ConservationCorner Leaflet 13, 147CIRL-13,$0.50.

Firewood: From Wood lot toWoodpile. Available from MediaServices. 147L-5-12, $2.00.

36

4-H Wood Sample Collection.Available from Media Services.147M-5-3A, $0.50.

Know Your Trees. Available fromMedia Services. 147L-5-3 (Leader'sGuide and Checklist), $2.00, 71pages ; 147J-85 (Member's ProjectGuide) and 147M-5-3 (Member'sRecord Book), $0.50.

Nature Trails Development. Avail-able from Media Services. 147L -5-4, $1.00, 24 pages.

Understanding Forest Ecosys-tems. Available from Media Serv-ices. 147L-5-13, $2.25, 42 pages.

WildlifeBirds in Your Backyard. Availablefrom Media Services. 147L- and147M-5-17, $5.90.

Birds of Prey. Available fromMedia Services. 147L-5-9, $3.25,28 pages.

Bluebirds in New York. Availablefrom DNR, $2.00, 27 pages.

4-H Shooting Sports Notebook.Available from Cornell CooperativeExtension county offices. 204pages.

Understanding Predation andNortheastern Birds of Prey. Avail-able from Media Services. 147-IB-175, $4.25, 48 pages.

Understanding Wildlife Signs.Slide set. Available from Instruc-tional Materials Services. Set in-cludes 35 slides, with scrIpt andcassette.

Wildlife Discovery. Available fromMedia Services. 147L- and 147M -5-19, $8.25.

4a.

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement.Available from Media Services.147L-5-16, $2.50, 23 pages.

Wildlife in Today's Landscapes./npress, will be available from MediaServices, June 1990.

Solid WasteComposting: Wastes toResources. In press, will beavailable from Media Services, mid-1990.

Recycling in Your School MakesGood Sense. Slide set. Availablefrom Audio Visual Center. Rentalprice $18, purchase price $42. Setincludes 46 slides, cassette, andscript.

Recycling: Mining Resourcesfrom Trash. In press, will be avail-able from Media Services.

What About Waste? In press. Will

be available from Media Services,late 1990.

Woodsy's Resource Goldmine.Slide set. Available from AudioVisual Center. Rental price $18,purchase price $46. Set includes52 slides, cassette, and script.

Woodsy's Wastewise.Slide set#303. Available from Audio VisualCenter. Rental price $20, purchaseprice $39.

OtherRenewable Natural Resource-Based Businesses for Enterpris-ing Youth. Available from DNR,$1.10, 22 pages.

Ordering Information forPublications and Slide Sets

Audio Visual Center

8 Cornell Business and Technology Park

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14850

(607) 255-2090

Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

4-H Youth Development Program

108 Fernow Hall

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14853

(607) 255-2814

Instructional Materials Services

109 Kennedy Hall

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14853

(607) 255-9252

Media Services Distribution Center

7 Cornell Business and Technology Park

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14850

(607) 255-2080

For more information, contact yourlocal Cornell Cooperative Extension office.

CornellCooperativeExtensionlIcIping littcPut Knowlcolgo'to)

This publication is issued to further Coop-erative Extension work mandated by acts ofCongress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Itwas produced with the cooperation of theU.S. Department of Agriculture and CornellCooperative Extension, College of Agricul-ture and Life Sciences, College of HumanEcology, and College of Veterinary Medi-cine, at Cornell University Cornell Coopera-tive Extension provides equal program andemployment opportunities Lucinda ANoble, Director.

4/90 U E90712 printed on recycled paper

2

Compost Project Record

Name.

Date:

Type of compost system used (include a diagram):

Wastes added to compost pile:

Any problems? How did you solve them?

What did you learn from your compost project?

Worm Composting Bin

Worms in the house? Yuk! But thiscomposting system actually works!The worms stay in the box and eathousehold scraps, and the box givesoff little odor. Worm composting canbe done in apartment buildings orother homes with no yard space. Youmight try it in your school!

1 1 1

I I .. I

I I ,-" ... 1

I le a

I I 1

What You Need

Materials

1 4-x-8-foot sheet of 1/2-inchexterior plywood

1 12-foot length of 2 x 4 lumber

1 16-foot length of 2 x 4 lumber

1/2 pound of 16d galvanized nails

2 pounds of 6d galvanized nails

2 galvanized door hinges

optional: 1 pint of clear varnish orpolyurethane

optional: plastic sheets for placingunder and over the bin

1 pound of worms for every 1/2pound of food wastes producedper day(Worms sold as fishing bait arebest. Red worms are availablefrom Flowerfield Enterprises,10332 Shaver Road, Kalamazoo,MI 49002, 616-327-0108.)

bedding for worms: moistenedshredded newspaper or card-board, peat moss, or brown leaves

Tools

tape measure

skill saw or hand saw

hammer

saw horses

long straight-edge or chalk snapline

screwdriver

drill with 1/2-inch bit

eye and ear protection

work gloves

optional: paint brush

Building a WormComposting Bin1. Measure and cut the plywood as

shown,so you have one 24-x-42inch top, one 23-x-42-inch base,two 16-x-24-inch ends, and two16-x-42-inch sides.

2. Cut the 12-foot length of 2 x 4lumber into five pieces: two 39-inch pieces, two 23-inch pieces,and one 20-inch piece.

3. Lay the five pieces on edge on aflat surface to form a rectanglewith the long pieces on the insideand the 20-inch length centeredparallel to the ends. Nail thepieces together with two 16dnails at each joint.

continued on next page

A 4

Worm l 'posting Bin continued

4. Nail the 23-x-42-inch piece ofplywood onto the frame with 6dnails every 3 inches.

5. Cut four 1-foot lengths from the16-foot length of 2 x 4 lumber.(Save the remaining 12-footpiece). Take the .wo 16-x-42-inchpieces of plywood and place a 1-foot length flat against each shortend and flush with the top andside edges. Nail the 2 x 4s inplace using 6d nails.

6. Set the plywood sides up againstthe base frame so the bottomedges of the 2 x 4s rest on top ofthe base frame and the bottomedges of the plywood sides over-lap the base frame. Nail theplywood sides to the base frameusing 6d nails.

7. To complete the box, nail the 16-x -24 -inch pieces of plywood ontothe base and sides at each end.

8. To reinforce the box, make sure anail is staggered at least every3 inches wherever plywood and2 X 4s meet.

9. Drill 12 one-half-inch holesthrough the plywood bottom ofthe box for drainage.

10. To build the frame for the lid, cutthe remaining 12-foot piece ofthe 16-foot length of 2 x 4 lumberinto two 45-inch pieces and two20-inch pieces. Lay the piecesflat to form a rectangle, with theshort pieces on the inside.

11. Lay the 24-x-42-inch piece of ply-wood on top of the lid frame sothe plywood is 1 1/2 inches insideall the edges of the frame. Nailthe plywood onto the frame with6d nails.

12. Attach the hinges to the inside ofthe back of the box at each end(on the 2 x 4) and the corre-sponding undersides of the backedge of the lid frame, so the lidstands upright when opened.

13. The unfinished box should last forat least five years; finishing thebox with varnish or polyurethane,however, will protect the woodand prolong the life of the box.Two coats of varnish with a lightsanding between coats shouldbe sufficient.

14. Find a good location for the box.It can be placed anywhere aslong as the temperature is morethan 50°F (10°C). The most pro-ductive temperature is 55° to77°F (13° to 25°C). Garages,basements, and kitchens are allpossibilities as well as the out-doors in warm weather (not indirect sunlight). Make sure toplace the box where it is conven-ient for you to use. It is wise toplace a plastic sheet under thebox.

Adding the WormsMoisten the bedding material for theworms by placing it in a 5-gallonbucket and adding enough water todampen all the material. Don't worryabout getting the bedding materialtoo wet because the excess mois-ture will drain off when it is placedinto the composting bin. Be careful ifyou use peat moss because it willhold too much water. It is a good ideato put wet bedding material into thebin outdoors and wait until all thewater has drained out (one to twohours).

Add about 8 inches of moistenedbedding to the bottom of one side ofthe bin. In go the worms! Leave thelid off for a while and the worms willwork down into the bedding awayfrom the light.

Adding Your WastesDig a small hole in the bedding andadd your vegetable and fruit scraps.Then cover the hole with bedding.Small amounts of meat scraps canbe added in the same way. Do notadd any inorganic or potentiallyhazardous material such as chemi-cals, glass, metal, or plastic.

COMPOSTING Wastes to Rerxerces Cornell Cooper ally° Extension4190 GPP EQ0712 pontod on recycled paper

Maintaining Your CompostPileKeep your compost pile moist, butnot wet. If flies are a problem, placemore bedding material over thewastes or a sheet of plastic over thebedding, or try placing some flypa-per inside the lid. Every three to sixmonths, move the compost to oneside of the bin and add new beddingto the empty half. At this time, addfood wastes to the new beddingonly. Within one month, the wormswill crawl over to the new beddingand the finished compost on the"old" side can be harvested. Thenadd new bedding to the "old" side.

Compost Mound

Yard wastes can be compostedwithout a bin if you don't mind theappearance of an uncontainedcompost mound in your yard. Theonly costs are your time and work.

3 FE.E.1"

What You Needshovel or pitchfork

work gloves

Building a Compost MoundFind a good location and pile youryard waste in a mound about 3 feet x3 feet x 3 feet (1 meter x 1 meter x 1meter). if you cover the pile with alayer of soil, it will keep in moisture forthe microorganisms and soil animalsworking to make compost.

Adding WastesAdd wastes as they become avail-able. Nonwood materials such asgrass clippings and garden wasteswork best.

1 G

(.0A11'0511N(; !. Curte a!, vp

4/90 GPP E90712 ponied on recycled paper

Maintaining Your CompostPileIt is best to have two piles. After thefirst pile is large enough, stop addingorganic material and let it work. In themeantime, add your wastes to thesecond pile.

Make sure the pile is moist, espe-cially if it is not covered with soil.

You can turn the pile to speed upcomposting. Compost should beready in three to four months if youturn the pile, or in about one year ifyou don't turn the pile.

Wire Mesh Bin

A wire mesh bin is inexpensive andeasy to build out of either galvanizedchicken wire or hardware cloth.(Nongalvanized chicken wire canalso be used but will not last verylong.) Posts provide more stabilityfor a chicken wire bin, but make thebin difficult to move. A wire mesh binmade without posts is easy to lift,

allowing you to get at the compostthat is already "done" at the bottomof the pile while the top of the pile isstill cooking.

A

IN

rn

3 r=EET

What You NeedMaterials

12 1/2 feet of 36-inch-wide 1-inchgalvanized chicken wire or 1/2-inch hardware cloth

heavy wire for ties

3 or 4 4-foot wooden or metalposts (for chicken wire bin)

Tools

heavy-duty wire or tin snips

pliers

hammer (for chicken wire bin)

metal file (for hardware cloth bin)

work gloves

Building a Wire Mesh BinIf using chicken wire:

1. Fold back 3 to 4 inches of wire ateach end of the cut piece to pro-vide a strong, clean edge thatwon't poke or snag and which willbe easy to latch.

2. Stand the wire in a circle and set itin place for the compost pile.

3. Cut the heavy wire into lengths forties. Attach the ends of thechicken wire together with thewire ties, using pliers.

4. Space wood or metal postsaround the inside of the chickenwire circle. Holding the poststightly against the wire, poundthem firmly into the ground toprovide support.

Adding WastesAdd wastes as they become avail-able. Nonwood materials such asgrass clippings and garden weeds

If using hardware cloth:

1. Trim the ends of the hardwarecloth so the wires are flush with across wire to get rid of edges thatcould poke or scratch hands.Lightly file each wire along the cutedge to ensure safe handlingwhen opening and closing thebin.

2. Bend the hardware cloth into acircle, and stand it in place for thecompost pile.

3. Cut the heavy wire into lengths forties. Attach the ends of the hard-ware cloth together with the wireties, using pliers.

work best. You can speed up theprocess by chopping or shreddingthe wastes.

Maintaining Your Compost PileAs you keep adding wastes to thewire mesh bin, the material at thebottom will become compost soonerthan the material at the top. If youwant to use the compost at the bot-tom of the pile, you can remove thewire holding unit and place it next tothe pile. Then, use a pitchfork tomove the compost back into the

COMPOSTING L.t.fa,tes t'A ,fne. CAverail v0 Extension

4/90 GPP E90712 printed on recycled paper

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moved holding unit. adding the ma-terial from the top of the pile first.Continue until you have replaced allthe compost. Now the compost atthe top of the bin is ready to use.

You also can scoop finished com-post from the bottom of the pile bylifting or e side of the unit.

Although you do not need to turn thispile, make sure it is moist during dryspells. Compost should be finishedin about one year.

Snow Fence Bin

A snow fence bin is simple to make.It works best with four postspounded into the ground for support.

What You NeedIVIaterials

4 wooden or metal posts. at leastas tall as the snow fence

heavy wire for ties

12 1/2 feet of snow fencing. at least3 feet tall

Building a Snow Fence Bin1. Choose a 3-foot-square site for

your compost bin, and pound th 3four wooden or metal posts intothe ground 3 feet apart, at thecorners of the square.

2. Cut the heavy wire into lengths forties. Attach the snow fence to theoutside of the posts with the wire

Tools ties, using pliers.

heavy-duty wire or tin snips

pliers

sledge hammer

work gloves

3. Attach the ends of the snow fencetogether in the same way, forminga 3-foot-square enclosure.

Adding WastesAdd wastes as they become avail-able. Nonwood materials such asgrass clippings and garden weedswork best. You can speed up theprocess by chopping or shreddingthe wastes.

COM, 'C)S I ING Wastes to Heso:imr; Comp!' (,noperative Extension4190 GPP F90712 printed on recycled papa,

18

Maintaining Your CompostPileAlthough you do not need to turn thispile, make sure that it is moist duringdry spells. Compost should be readyin about one year. Simply remove thefencing and the compost is ready touse.

Cinder Block Bin

A cinder block bin is sturdy, durable,and easily accessible. If you have tobuy the cinder blocks, it is slightlymore expensive to build than thewire mesh or snow fence bins.

What You Needabout 46 cinder blocks for the firstbin

optional: about 32 blocks for asecond bin

work gloves

Building a Cinder Block Bin1 Place 5 cinder blocks in a row

along the ground at your com-posting site, leaving about 1/2inch between each block to let inair.

2. Place 4 cinder blocks in anotherrow along the ground perpen-dicular to and at one end of thefirst row, forming a square corner;leave about 1/2 inch betweeneach block.

3. In the same way, place 4 cinderblocks at the opposite end of thefirst row to form a three-sidedenclosure.

4. Add a second layer of blocks,staggering them to increase sta-bility and leaving about 1/2 inch

between each block. Thereshould be a layer of 4 cinderblocks on each of the three wallsof the enclosure.

5. Add a third layer of blocks, againstaggering them to increase sta-bility, with 5 blocks across theback of the enclosure and 3 oneach side.

6. The last and top layer should have4 blocks across the back and 3 oneach side.

7. Optional: If you wish to decreaseyour composting time, build asecond bin next to the first so thewastes in one can mature whileyou add wastes to the other. Useone side wall of the first bin so youonly need to build two additionalwalls.

(70A4POSTING WdSIPS to Resn,i,co, C;(1,no ,.)opo at.,c t

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Adding WastesAdd wastes as they become avail-able. Nonwood materials such asgrass clippings and garden weedswork best. You can speed up theprocess by chopping or shreddingthe wastes. If you have two units,when the first unit is full let the com-post mature and add wastes to thesecond unit.

Maintaining Your CompostPileAlthough you do not need to turn thispile, make sure that it is moist duringdry spells. Compost should be readyin about one year or more.

Wooden Box Bin

A wooden box bin can be built inex-pensively using wooden pallets. Oryou can use lumber to make a nicerlooking bin. The ^,osts will vary, de-pending on why er you use palletsor new lumber. Used pallets are of-ten available from manufacturersand landfills.

What You Need Building a Wooden Box BinMaterials If using wooden pallets:

4 wooden pallets (5 pallets if youwant a bottom in the container),sized to make a four-sided con-tainer at least 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet

nails

wire ties

or

1 12-foot length of 2 x 4 lumber

5 12-foot lengths of lumber,6 X 3/4

nails

Tools

saw

sledge hammer

work gloves

1. Nail or wire four pallets together to 2. A fifth pallet can be used as amake a four-sided container at base to allow more air to get intoleast 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. The the pile and to increase the stabil-

container is ready to use. ity of the bin.

If using lumber:

1. Saw the 12 -foot length of 2 x 4lumber into four pieces, each 3feet long, to be used as cornerposts.

2. Choose a 3-foot-square site foryour compost bin, and pound thefour posts into the ground 3 feetapart. at the corners of thesquare

Adding WastesAdd wastes as they become avail-able. Nonwood materials such asgrass clippings and garden weedswork best. You can speed up theprocess by chopping or shreddingthe wastes. If you have two units,when the first unit is full let the com-post mature and add wastes to thesecond unit.

COMPOSTING Wastos to Resources Corned CooperAlve lixtenson

490 GPP F90712 prated on recycled paper

5n

3. Saw each of the five 12-footboards into four 3-foot pieces. Al-lowing five boards to a side andstarting at the bottom, nail theboards to the posts to make afour-sided container. Leave 1/2inch between the boards to allowair to get into the pile.

4 If you wish to decrease your corn-posting time, build a second hold-ing unit so the wastes in one canmature while you add wastes tothe other.

Maintaining Your CompostPileAlthough you do not need to turn thispile, make sure that it is moist duringdry spells. Compost should be readyin about one year.

Cinder Block Turning Unit

A cinder block turning unit looks likethree cinder block holding units in arow. It is sturdy, and if you can findused cinder blocks, it is inexpensiveto build.

What You Needabout 98 cinder blocks

work gloves

Building a Cinder BlockTurning Unit1. Place 12 cinder blocks in a row

along the ground at your com-posting site, leaving about 1/2inch between each block to let inair.

2. Place 4 cinder blocks in anotherrow along the ground perpen-dicular to and at one end of thefirst row, forming a square corner:leave about 1/2 inch betweeneach block.

Adding WastesDo not add wastes as they becomeavailable with this system. Collectenough wastes to fill one of the threebins at one time. You can collectwoody as well as nonwood wastes.Add thin layers of different kinds oforganic materials or mix the wastestogether.

Before adding new wastes to anempty bin, collect enough to fill theentire bin.

3. In the same way. place 4 cinderblocks at the opposite end of thefirst row to form a three-sided en-closure.

4. Place two more rows -4 cinderblocks each--along the ground,parallel to the ends and evenlyspaced within the enclosure. Thisdivides the enclosure into threeseparate bins.

5. Add a second layer of blocks,staggering them to increase sta-bility and leaving about 1/2 inch

between each block. Thereshould be a layer of 13 cinderblocks across the back and 3cinder blocks on the sides of eachbin.

6. Add a third layer of blocks, againstaggering them to increase sta-bility, with 12 blocks across theback of the enclosure and 3 oneach side.

7. The last and top layer should have13 blocks across the back and 2on each side.

Maintaining Your Compost PileTake the temperature of your pileevery day. After a few days, thetemperature should reach between130- and 140°F (54° to 60°C). If yourpile gets very hot, turn it before thetemperature gets above 155°F(68°C). In a few days, the tempera-ture will start to drop. When the tem-perature starts going down, turn yourcompost pile into the next bin with apitchfork. The temperature of your

r-COMPOSTING Wastes to Resources Cornell Cooperative Extension

4/90 GPP E90712 printed on recycled paper

compost pile will increase again andthen, in about four to seven days,start to drop. Turn your compost pileinto the third bin. Continue to take thetemperature and turn the compostpile until the compost is ready. Thecompost should be ready in aboutone or two months.

Wood and Wire Three-Bin Turning UnitA wood and wire three-binturning unit can be used tocompost large amounts ofyard, garden, and kitchenwastes in a short time. Al-though relatively expensiveto build, it is sturdy, attractive,and should last a long time.Construction requires basiccarpentry skills and tools.

What You NeedMaterials

4 12-foot (or 8 6-foot) lengths ofpressure-treated 2 x 4 lumber

2 10-foot lengths of pressure-treated 2 x 4 lumber

1 10 -toot length of constructiongrade 2 x 41umber

1 16-foot length of 2 x 6 lumber

6 8-foot lengths of 1 x 6 lumber

1 4-x-8-foot sheet of 1/2-inchexterior plywood

1 4-x-4-foot sheet of 1/2-inchexterior plywood

22 feet of 36-inch-wide 1/2-inchhardware cloth

2 pounds of 16d galvanized nails

250 poultry wire staples (or apower stapler with 1-inch galva-nized staples)

12 1/2-inch carriage bolts 4 incheslong

12 washers and 12 nuts for thebolts

6 3-inch zinc-plated hinges

24 washers and 24 nuts for thehinges

1 quart wood preservative or stain

Tools

tape measure

hand saw or circular power saw

hammer

tin snips

carpenter's square

optional: power stapler with 1-inchgalvanized staples

drill with 1/2-inch bit

screwdriver

3/4-inch socket or open-endedwrench

pencil

safety glasses

ear protection

dust mask

work gloves

r;

Building a Wood and WireThree-Bin System1. Cut two 31 1/2-inch and two 36-

inch pieces from a 12-foot lengthof pressure-treated 2 x 4 lumber.Butt joint and nail the four piecesinto a 35-inch x 36-inch "square."Repeat, building three moreframes with the remaining 12-footlengths of 2 x 4 lumber.

2. Cut four 37-inch lengths of hard-ware cloth. Fold back the edgesof the NA .-g 1 inch. Stretch thepieces of hardware cloth acrosseach frame. Make sure the cor-ners of each frame are squareand then staple the screen tightlyinto place every 4 inches aroundthe edge. The wood and wireframes will be dividers in yourcomposter.

continued on next page

Wood and Wire Three-Bin Turning Unit continued

3. Set two dividers on end 9 feetapart and parallel to one another.Position the other two dividers sothey are parallel to and evenlyspaced between the end divid-ers. The 36-inch edges should beon the ground. Measure the posi-tion of the centers of the two insidedividers along each 9-foot edge.

4. Cut a 9-foot piece from each 10-foot length of pressure-treated2 x 4 lumber . Place the two treatedbeards across the tops of the di-yids ,rs so each is flush against theouter edges. Measure and markon the 9-foot boards the center ofeach inside divider.

5. Line up the marks. and througheach junction of board and di-vider, drill a 1/2-inch hole cen-tered 1 inch in from the edge.Secure the boards with carriagebolts, but do not tighten them yet.Turn the unit so the treated boardsare on the bottom.

6. Cut one 9-foot piece from the 10-foot length of construction grade2 x 4 lumber. Attach the board tothe back of the top by repeatingthe process used to attach thebase boards. Using thecarpenter's square or measuringbetween opposing corners. makesure the bin is square. Tighten allthe bolts securely.

7. Fasten a 9-foot length of hardwarecloth to the back side of the binwith staples every 4 inchesaround the frame.

8. Cut four 36-inch-long pieces fromthe 16-foot length of 2 x 6 lumberfor front runners (Save the remain-ing 4-foot length.) Rip cut two ofthese boards to two 4 3/4-inch-wide strips. (Save the two remain-ing strips.)

9. Nail the 4 3/4-inch-wide strips tothe front of the outside dividersand baseboard so they are flushon the top and the outside edges.Center the two remaining 6-inch-wide boards on the front of theinside dividers flush with the topedge and nail securely.

10. Cut the remaining 4-foot length of2 x 6 lumber into a 34-inch-longpiece and then rip cut this pieceinto four equal strips. Trim the twostrips saved from step 8 to 34inches. Nail each 34-inch strip tothe insides of the dividers so theyare parallel to and 1 inch awayfrom the boards attached to thefront. This creates a 1-inch verti-cal slot on the inside of each di-vider.

11. Cut the 6 8-foot lengths of 1 x 6lumber into 18 slats, each 31 1/4inches long. Insert the horizontalslats. 6 per bin, between the di-viders into the vertical slots.

12. Cut the 4-x-8-foot sheet of exte-rior plywood into two 3-x-3-footpieces. Cut the 4-x-4-foot sheetof exterior plywood into one 3-x-3-foot piece. Center each 3-x-3foot piece on one of the threebins and attach each to the backtop board with two hinges.

13. Stain all untreated wood.

COMPOSTING Wastes to Resources Co,nell CooperatIve Fxtenson4/90 GPP E90712 profiled Of7 recycled paper

Adding WastesDo not add wastes as they becomeavailable with this system. Collectenough wastes to fill one of the threebins at one time. You can collectwoody as well as nonwood wastes.Add thin layers of different kinds oforganic materials or mix the wastestogether.

Before adding new wastes to anempty bin, collect enough to fill theentire bin.

Maintaining Your CompostPileTake the temperature of your pileevery day. After a few days, thetemperature should reach between130° and 140°F (54° to 60°C). If yourpile gets very hot, turn it before thetemperature gets above 155°F(68°C). In a few days, the tempera-ture will start to drop. When the tem-perature starts going down, turn yourcompost pile into the next bin with apitchfork. The temperature of yourcompost pile will increase again andthen, in about four to seven days,start to drop. Turn your compost pileinto the third bin. The total time forcomposting should be less than onemonth.

Garbage Can Composter

A garbage can composter is inex-pensive and easy to build. It can beused for food or garden wastes. Youdo, however, need to turn thewastes.

What You NeedMaterials

garbage can with cover

coarse sawdust, straw or woo°chips

Tools

drill

pitch fork,turner

work gloves

shovel, or compost

Building a Garbage CanComposter1. Drill three rows of holes 4 to 6

inches apart all around the sidesof the garbage can. Then drillseveral holes in the base of thecan. The holes allow air move-ment and the drainage of excessmoisture.

2. Place 2 to 3 inches of dry saw-dust, straw, or wood chips in thebottom of the can to absorb ex-cess moisture and let the com-post drain.

Adding WastesAdd fruit. vegetable, and gardenwastes. Make sure not to add toomuch of any one waste at a time.

4COMPOSTING Wastes to Resources Cornell Cooperative Extension

4190 CPA E90712 printed on recycled paper

Maintaining Your CompostPileRegularly mix or turn the compostwith a pitch fork. shovel, or compostturner and keep it covered. Thisadds air and mixes up the differentwastes, preventing the compostfrom getting smelly. A smelly com-post pile may attract animals andcause neighbors to complain.

Compost Pockets

This is an easy composting shortcut.You bury your fruit and vegetablewastes in small pockets in your gar-den, and let the microorganisms andsoil animals do the work. Store yourkitchen scraps in a plastic containeruntil you are ready to compost them.

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What You NeedMaterials

food wastes. collected in a plasticcontainer or bucket

Tools

shovel

work gloves

What to Do1. Dig holes 10 to 15 inches deep

and less than 2 feet across.

2. Place food wastes in the holesand cover with soil. Make sure thesoil cover is at least 8 inches deepso the buried materials do not at-tract animals.

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Mulch

Mulch is placed on top of the soil ingardens or around trees to suppressweeds, keep soil moist, keep plantroots coo! in summer and warm inwinter, and prevent soil from wash-ing away or becoming hard. Yardwastes can be used as mulch andplaced around plants in the gardenor along paths and in play areas. Theonly costs are your time and work.You can also mulch with compostmade using one of the systems de-scribed in the leader's/teacher'sguide.

What You NeedMaterialsFor annual flower beds and vege-table gardens:

lawn clippings or leaves from deciduous trees and shrubs

For trees and shrubs:

wood chips, lawn clippings, saw-dust. leaves from deciduous treesand shrubs, pine needles, manure

For pathways and play areas:

wood chips or sawdust

Tools

shovel

wheel barrow

rake

work gloves

What to Do1. Spread your mulch in the garden,

around the base of a tree, or in apath or play area. Rake it smooth.

2. Place mulch around the trees asillustrated in the diagram. Mulch-ing trees helps keep moisture inthe soil and protects plants duringcold weather.

COMPOSTING LVislos 0 Ros,mt is Cor,nl1 C.( or etative Extension

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HOJ Does L rr

1 . We are the key to composting.We love to eat banana peels,rotten apples, brown wiltedlettuce, fallen leaves, and weedsfrom your garden.

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7. If you supply all thesethingsfood, air, andmoisture in a good-sizedpilewe will be glad tomake compost for you.

6. We must be ableto get to our food! It isharder for us to eatlarge pieces of foodthan to eat smallpieces of food.

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a balanceddiet! We needcarbon forenergy andnitrogen to help build ourbodies. Some of yourwastes are high in carbonThese include

strawleaves.

papersawdustwood chips

Other wastes arehigh in nitrogen.These include

food scrapsgrass clippingsmanure.

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Be sure to include a mixture of wastes

high in carbon and wastes high in

nitrogen in your compost pile.

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3. Don't smother us!We need air to surviveIf we don't have air, thecompost pile will turnsmelly!

Be sure your compostcontainer has holes inallow air to get into thepile. If possible, stir orcompost pile every win more air.

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t EtJust Follow the Recipe!Composting is like baking a cake. Simply addthe ingredients, stir, "bake," and out comescompost!

Whether you compost kitchenwastes or yard and garden wastes,there are a few basic steps to follow.Here are the necessary ingredientsand general directions for com-posting.

Directions L)1

1. Choose a "pot" for bakin our 4. Ad ust the moi ure

Co- p tIngredients

Kitchen Compost

Add a mixture of some or all of the following ingredients:

vegetable peelsand seeds

fruit peels and seeds

coffee grounds

egg shells

nut shells

any other vegetable orfruit scraps

FRUIT SCRAPS

EGG SHELLS

CO1: F Ea GROUNDS

SEEDS

(Do not add meat scraps, bones, dairy products, oils, or fat.They may attract pesty animals.)

Yard or Garden Compost

Add a mixture of some or all of the following ingredients:

hay or straw

grass clippings

leaves-

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sawdust

wood chips

weeds and other garden waste

manure

shredded paper

WEEDS MANURE WEDDED PAPER

6. Stir your compost a3 bakes ifyou want to speed up the bakingtime.

7. The pile will settle down from itsoriginal height. This is a goodsign that the compost is baking

Iproperly.

lirative Extensionowledge to Work

8. If you mix or turn your compostpile every week, it should be"done," or ready to use, in one totwo months. If you don'tturn it, thecompost should be ready in aboutsix to twelve months.

9. Your "best ever compost" shouldlook like dark crumbly soil withsmall pieces of organic material.It should have a sweet, earthysmell.

10. Feed compost to hungry plantsby mixing it with the soil.

prnred on recycled pap.' 4790 CP E90712