HOME COMPOSTING:101HOME COMPOSTING:101

Doug White, Architect

March 8, 2012March 8, 2012

WHY COMPOST?

                        

In Nature there is no Waste!

ST. JOHN “ DUMP”

““AWAY HAS GONE AWAY”AWAY HAS GONE AWAY” William McDonough, ArchitectWilliam McDonough, Architect

STJ DUMP FIRE COST STJ A COMMUNITY CENTER!

WE NEED TO BEGIN TOWE NEED TO BEGIN TOTAKE RESPONSIBILITY FORTAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR

OUR WASTE!OUR WASTE!

HAULING WASTE FROM ST. JOHN

TO ST. THOMAS IS STILL BEING

PAID FOR BY THE ST. JOHN CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT

FUND!

ST. JOHN ZERO WASTE PLAN?ST. JOHN ZERO WASTE PLAN?

VI WMA WASTE STUDYVI WMA WASTE STUDY

81.3 % IS 81.3 % IS COMPOSTABLE OR RECYCLABLECOMPOSTABLE OR RECYCLABLEPAPER   43,932 29.9%

1 Newsprint 1, 892 1. 3%

2 Office Paper 2, 362 1. 6%

3 Magazines 3, 848 2. 6%

4 Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) & Kraft Paper 20,958 14.3%

5 Paper Board 3, 270 2. 2%

6 Other Paper - Dirty 11, 603 7. 9%

PLASTIC 

21,068 14.3%

7 PET (#1) Containers 2, 298 1. 6%

8 HDPE (#2) Containers - Natural 1,084 0.7%

9 HDPE (#2) Containers - Colored 1,323 0.9%

10 Dirty Plastic 4, 207 2. 9%

11 Foam - Polystyrene (#6) 1,438 1. 0%

12 Other Rigid Plastic 3, 596 2. 4%

13 LDPE - Film Plastic (bags, sheet, etc.) 5,200 3.5%

GLASS   7, 699 5.2%

14 Glass - Clear 3, 166 2. 2%

15 Glass - Green 2,422 1. 6%

16 Glass - Brown 2, 111 1. 4%

METALS   5,879 4.0%

17 Ferrous Metals 4,440 3. 0%

18 Non-Ferrous Metals (Incl. Al Cans) 1,439 1.0%

ORGANICS 48,327 32.9%19 Yard Waste 17, 570 11. 9%

20 Wood Waste 14, 000 9. 5%

21 Food Waste 16, 757 11. 4%

22 Miscellaneous Organ i cs 0 0. 0%

COMPOSTING IS THE COMPOSTING IS THE CREATION OF HEALTHY CREATION OF HEALTHY SOIL NUTRIENTS!SOIL NUTRIENTS!Composting is the natural reduction of

Organic Wastes into humus. All organic matter will eventually break down into its basic humus form, or in other words, it will rot. Decomposition is the decaying process aided by millions of bacteria found in organic materials.

COMPOST INGREDIENTS:COMPOST INGREDIENTS:

AIRAIR WATERWATER COMPOSTABLE COMPOSTABLE

MATERIALMATERIAL

Aeration:Aeration:Since decomposition is a burning process, a good supply of oxygen is necessary to keep it going. Turning the material in a compost heap to make sure enough air gets to the burning core is an important part of the process. However decomposition will take place in a static, layered compost pile without turning and can produce good compost! But it will take longer.

A compost heap should contain about 50% moisture in the overall mix–too much or too little moisture will slow down the decomposition process. Check your load regularly for moisture content. If the load is too dry, sprinkle it with a garden hose to restore the moisture content. If there are signs of too much moisture (especially foul odors), add dry materials such as sawdust or shredded dead leaves to absorb the excess.

One way to gauge the moisture level is to squeeze a handful of the material in your fist. If it does not stick together to form a ball, there is not enough moisture. If liquid squeezes out, there is too much.

Moisture:Moisture:

An easy way to check moisture…

TOO WET TOO DRY

JUST RIGHT

Material SizeBreaking up or shredding the materials you

plan to use in your compost has two effects. It increases the surface area of the materials and it breaks or bruises the skin of the plant material. This allows decomposers a place to enter and results in a much faster breakdown – the smaller the pieces, the faster they will decompose.

COMPOST MATERIALS: COMPOST MATERIALS:

Any compost heap, whether using a fast method or a longer, slower process, must begin with a good balance of materials. The basic makeup of the material you start with will determine both the

effectiveness and speed of the decaying process. These materials also establish the nutrient content of the finished compost. You should not try to make compost with just one ingredient. The de-composition process requires a proper mix of carbon and nitrogen – the C/N ratio –30:1 and that ratio is rarely found in one material alone.

Carbon / Nitrogen (C/N) RATIOCarbon / Nitrogen (C/N) RATIO

Microorganisms, which are the decomposers,

need carbon for energy and nitrogen for growth. Materials high in carbon are generally brown and dry, while materials high in nitrogen are usually fresh and green. If there isn’t enough nitrogen, your load could sit for years without even starting to decompose. On the other hand, too much nitrogen can result in the production of ammonia gas that leaks out and disappears into the air – easily detected by its smell.

fresh grass clippings (cut within 24 hours)

green yard & garden waste coffee grounds & tea bagsegg shells (rinsed & crushed)uncooked fruit & vegetable waste

NitrogenNitrogen = = Green Green

dead leaves brown garden waste black & white newsprint

(shredded & soaked in water)sawdust & wood shavings wood ash

Carbon = Carbon = Brown Brown

branches, twigs, or treated wood. any cooked foods, dairy products,

meat or bones. pet waste or untreated human waste. anything you know or suspect to be

poisonous or diseased.

Do Not Use:Do Not Use:

Monitoring the temperature, with a compost thermometer, will tell you a lot about how your compost is progressing. An example:

A temperature of 150º-160ºF over

a two to three day period will

kill the majority of weed seeds.

Temperature: Temperature:

Temp. & C:N RatioTemp. & C:N Ratio

30:1

40:1

60:1

160

140

120

100

8010 20 30 40

Heating occurs each time you add fresh

materials. With low volume mixtures, heating does not

last very long. The ratio of fresh material to dead material

will also affect the heat – a 4:1 ratio will generally create more heat than a 3:1,

and so on down the line to 1:1.

HEAT & MIXTURE RATIOHEAT & MIXTURE RATIO

Compost Material C:N RatiosCompost Material C:N RatiosTable Scraps: 15:1Grass Clippings: 19:1Young Weeds: 30:1Fruit Waste: 35:1

Leaves: 40:1 – 80:1Paper: 170:1Sawdust: 500:1

SampleSample COMPOST RECIPIES!! COMPOST RECIPIES!!

Recipe #1 (C/N ratio = 32.6:1)Fresh grass clippings . . . 9 partsKitchen waste . . . . . . . . . 3 partsBlack & white newsprint . 3 parts

Recipe #2 (C/N ratio = 34:1)Fresh grass clippings . . .12 partsSawdust . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 parts

General Rule: 4 parts Green: 1 part BrownGeneral Rule: 4 parts Green: 1 part Brown

Kitchen Waste Containers & CompostersKitchen Waste Containers & Composters

Jaco Farm Organics Compost Shed

Resources:Resources:

                       

How to Make Superior Compost with the How to Make Superior Compost with the ComposTumbler. ComposTumbler. https://www.compostumbler.com/information/free-book.html

The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardnerfor Every Gardner

The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins

Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, Gardening, Rodale PressRodale Press

COMPOSTING 101COMPOSTING 101

Thanks for attending!Thanks for attending!