THE DELIGHTS OF THE DELIGHTS OF COMPOSTINGCOMPOSTING

• Freelance Compost Doctor - often introduced as “the Worm Lady”!• Visiting schools, organisations and events (pretty much anyone) providing talks and training on composting

Also

•Coordinator of South East Forum for Sustainability

• Coordinator of Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth (volunteer)

WHO AM I?WHO AM I?

• Closed loop system –

Grow the food Eat the food

Compost the food

•It adds nutrients/beneficial organisms back to the soil

• Scaleable system – can be done pretty much anywhere

• Compost is not just a nutrient it’s a whole eco system

Why is composting so goodWhy is composting so good

• Hot composting• Cold composting• In vessel (anaerobic composting)• Garden composting• Field scale composting• Composting indoors• Composting with worms

A Myriad of Different WaysA Myriad of Different Ways

•Wormeries small – indoor option (500grms/week)• Wormeries medium – outdoors small gardens/patios (1-2kgs/week)•Wormeries big – field/farm scale (about 1 tonne/week and growing)

I’m a Fan ofI’m a Fan of

Vermicompost is the king of compost it will provide compost:• Full of beneficial soil micro-organisms• With very high humus content• Containing slow-release natural fertilisers• With nutrients available in form that plants can readily use• That absorbs 2-3 times its own weight in water• Holds water well so less watering required

Benefits of CompostBenefits of Compost

Vermicompost will also • Help to bind together soil particles• Enhance disease resistance• Encourage healthy/strong root system• Produce strong healthy plants/crops• Improve crop yields• provide a liquid fertiliser as a by-productAnd if you make it yourself• It’s free!

More BenefitsMore Benefits

A Universe in My Compost BinA Universe in My Compost Bin

Micro•Countless bacteria (a), •Fungi such as the insect-eating Beauveria shown here (e), ray fungus, Mycorrhizal fungi•Nematodes•Protoza•Rotifers

Previous Picture courtesy of Jim Nardi – Life in the Soil: a guide for naturalists and gardeners

Credit: Amy Stewart

Macro•Composting earth worms – Dendrodrilus rubidus, Eisenia fetida ***, Eisenia andrei, Eisenia hotensis, Eisenia veneta, Eudrilus eugeniae, Lumbricus rubellusBut also•Potworms [arrows in b point to small potworms, c shows larger potworms]•Springtails (d)•Beetles,f, and their larvae (g) along with several species of scarab (dung) beetles (i, j), the rove beetles (m, n) •mites (h), •Flies, Soldier (k) fruit flies and flies related to fruit flies (l), bathroom flies, fungus gnats, sciarid flies  Ants•Pseudoscorpions•Millepedes, Centipedes•Woodlice•Earwigs•Slugs•Snails•Spiders

Mega

•Moles•Mice•Rats?!•Slow worms•Grass snakes•Toads•Badgers•Foxes

• Important food chains• Mutual benefit• Different organisms responsible for different things• Diversity = successful compost

Why This Wonderful WebWhy This Wonderful Web

• Contact: •alison.walters@foe.co.uk

• Websites: •www.magpietrust.org.uk/compost.html• www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1109661• www.bhfoe.org• www.sefs.org.uk• www.villagegreenrecycling.com

• Further reading• Composting with worms (George Pilkington - www.eco-logicboooks.com)• The Earth Moved (Amy Stewart - www.franceslincoln.com)

RESOURCESRESOURCES