Indexing Compost Products

David Crohn, UCRDan Noble, ACP

Purpose

Help users identify appropriate materials

Guide users away from inappropriate products

Give confidence to consumers in making purchases

Help reduce bad experiences for both vendors and consumers

Woods End Laboratories: Compost Matrix• “Up to” 30 parameters

• Proprietary

A1 Organics: Classification System• 10 parameter categories

• Divides composts into four “classes”

• Non-proprietary

Other assessment systems:

System Components

The Product IndexThe Best Use Directory

Product Index

1. Must earn respect and acceptance from the Innovator Market (IM)

2. Should include enough detail to evaluate the materials in sufficiently to satisfy IM

3. Should include parameter values familiar to IM

4. Should therefore reflect the conventional thinking of the IM

Product Index

The Product Index is a series of numbers representing parameters of interest to IM

Numbers in the Product Index are between 1 and 9 and represent categories associated with measurable properties

Product Index: 1.

Tota

l N

2. C

:N ra

tio

3. T

otal P

4. E

C5.

Sodiu

m

6. B

oron

7. C

hlorid

e

8. S

tabili

ty

9. P

artic

le s

ize

10. M

aturit

y

11. B

ulk d

ensi

ty

12. O

rgan

ic m

atte

r

13. M

oistu

re

14. S

afet

y

Fit: 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 8 7 5 4 5 v

Best Use Directory

The Use Directory is a list of Product Index values suitable for a range of particular applications such as• Topdressing turf

• Azalea potting soil blends

• Improving infiltration in calcareous soils

• Citrus tree planting The Product Index for a particular compost is

compared to the Use Directory create Best Use Directory for that product

Best Use Directory

A Product Index is like a key.

The Use Directory is a series of locks.

A computer is used to find which locks fit a particular key.

The Best Use Directory list those that it fits.

Index Parameters

1. Total nitrogen2. Carbon to nitrogen

(C:N) ratio3. Total phosphorus4. Electrical

conductivity (ECe)5. Sodium6. Boron7. Chloride

8. Stability9. Particle size10. Maturity

(phytotoxicity)11. Bulk density12. Organic matter13. Moisture content14. Safety (pathogens

and heavy metals)

Best Use Directory(Totally hypothetical example)

Uses 1,3,5,6,7,8,9, and 10 are Best

Product Index: 1.

Tota

l N

2. C

:N ra

tio

3. T

otal P

4. E

C5.

Sodiu

m

6. B

oron

7. C

hlorid

e

8. S

tabili

ty

9. P

artic

le s

ize

10. M

aturit

y

11. B

ulk d

ensi

ty

12. O

rgan

ic m

atte

r

13. M

oistu

re

14. S

afet

y

Fit: 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 8 7 5 4 5 Use 1 - <9 - - - - - >5 - >3 >5 >6 Use 2 - <6 - <5 <7 <5 <6 >7 >5 >3 >2 - Use 3 >4 - - - <7 - - >6 - <6 >5 - Use 4 <4 >5 <4 - <8 - - >7 >2 >3 >5 <8 Use 5 >3 <7 - <8 <8 <6 - >3 >4 >4 - >3 Use 6 - <5 - <5 - - <6 >5 >3 >3 - - Use 7 - - - - - - <8 >7 - >3 >2 - Use 8 >4 - - - <7 - - >6 - <6 >5 >3 Use 9 >4 <5 - <4 <8 - - - >3 <2 >5 <7 Use 10 >3 <7 <6 <8 <8 - - >3 >3 <2 >3 >3

Uses? What uses?

•Agriculture

•Landscape

•Environment

Agriculture Uses

Vegetables Grains Forages Fiber crops Fruits & nuts Certified organic agriculture

Landscape Uses

Composted mulch (growth)

Composted mulch (suppression)

Hydroseeding Container use

• Potting soils

• Container production-field

Lawn/sod Production

GH seedling establish.• Lawn establishment, care

• Golf greens, sports fields Bedding Plants

• Drill seeding

• GH bedding plants

• General landscaping, bed establishment

Planting amendments• Shrubs

• Trees

Environment Uses

Erosion control• Filter Sock Media

• Inlet Sock Media

• Ditch Check Sock Media

• Stream Edge Saving

• Channel Socks

• Compost Berms

• Filter Rings

• Compost Blanket

• Steep Slope Protection

Soil treatments• Biofiltration Strips

• Vegetated Swales

• Wetlands restoration (or other natural ecosystems)

• Soil remediation or reclamation

• Roof-top gardens

• Manufactured Top Soil

• Absorbents

• Livestock bedding

The Parameters

Measured according to strict industry standards (TMECC, STA preferred)

Total Nitrogen • May be budgeted in some areas to protect

groundwater

C:N ratio• Estimates nitrogen availability

• Benefits plants

• Saves fertilizer

The Parameters

Phosphorus • Benefits plants

• Saves fertilizer

• May be controlled in some areas to protect surface water

• No fertilizer number is given, just 1 through 6

The Parameters

EC (Electrical conductivity) Sodium Boron Chloride

• Can be toxic to certain plant species

• Expected by IM’s

• Will not be apparent to casual users

• Best Use Directory will exclude those plants sensitive to these if need be

The Parameters

Stability Particle Size

• Sieve rates

Phytotoxicity• Germination

Organic Matter• 100% - combustion losses

The Parameters

Safety• Metals

• Pathogens

• Industry may set its own standards

• Soil Control Lab has large database that can be used to derive appropriate ranges

• Regulatory values can also be used.

Work Plan

Assemble Team, Conduct Literature Search, Develop Work Plan, Identify Crops• Hold project kick-off meeting

• Conduct literature search

• Perform analyses on data gaps

• Develop work plan

Determine Research Methods, Conduct Needed Experiments• Design research methods

• Identify reference crops

• Conduct experiments

Work Plan

Use Collected Information to Set Specifications• Compile data

• Draft specifications

Implement Use Index• Convene meetings with composters

• Incorporate new specifications into the ACP Use Index

• Develop means of communicating the Use Index to growers

Assess, Refine, Implement

Conclusions

The Use Index matches specific composts with appropriate uses to satisfy customers and build markets

We are at the beginning of an iterative process involving UC, CIWMB, and the ACP

Everyone’s input is invited in this collaborative effort

What crops should we include?