Goal : Maximize Quality/Quantity of Cured Compost produced per unit of Compost Built & Maximize Microbiodiversity

A NATURAL System

Composting recycles Carbon, Nitrogen, Magnesium, Sulfur, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potash, & Trace Minerals necessary to maintain Natural
Biological Cycles.

(Lifeless) Tea/Leaves, Coffee Grounds, Bones, Eggshells, Citrus Rinds, Grass, Weeds, Prunings, Spiders, Birds, Trees, Ash of Diseased/Plants

3 Natural Ways of Composting

i. Manures : Plant/Animal Foods composted Inside Animals Body (earthworms) & then further Aged Outside Animal by Heat of Fermentation ;
Earthworms are best Composters (Rate of Richness : 5X Nitrogen, 2X Exchangeable Calcium, 7X Available Phosphorus, 11X Available
Potassium than soil they inhibit)

ii. Underground or Top (or Compost Piles) Surface Decaying of Plant/Animal Bodies

iii. Root, Root Hairs, Microbial Life-Forms

that Decay under Soil after Harvesting

E.g Cereal Rye Plants in Good Soil grows

3 Miles of Hairs a Day; 387 Miles of Roots in a Season; 6,603 Miles of Root Hairs each Season

TIP : Qualitatively Plant Compost is 4X better than Manure & Plant Roots Compost is 8X better
Compost Functions

Healthy Soil = (Improved Structure + Adequate Nutrition) produces Healthy Plants = Disease/Insect Resistant

INSECTS harm Sick Plants but they can be controlled by Living Healthy Soil rather than Poisons (Pesticides/Herbicides) which Harms Soil

At first ORGANIC FERTILIZER should be bought to bring soil fertility at satisfactory level within short time; after doing so health can be
maintained with COMPOST, good CROP ROTATION, RECYCLING of plants residues in Compost Pile

Fertility & Fertilizer are different; soil can have much fertilizer but still wouldn't grow plants from less fertility;

Fertility can be increased by COMPOST

(its Organic Acids release inert nutrients in a form available to plants)

Functions of Compost (Max Health; Min Expense)

1. Improved Soil Structure (Easier to Work, Better Aeration, Water Retention, Erosion-Resistent)

2. Nutrition for Plant Growth, Compost Organic Acids make Nutrients in Soil More Available, Adequate Organic Matter leach out Fewer Nutrients

Best way to control Insects/Disease is with living/healthy soil rather than poisons that kill beneficial Soil Health

Maximum health with Minimum Expense

Process of Compost

Organic Matter refers to Dead Plant & Animal Residues of All Kinds in all Stages Of Breakdown

Mostly, Decomposition generates Carbon Dioxide & Water as Products of Organic Matter breakdown

Compost is created from Decomposition (Organic Matter =› CO² + H²O) & Recombination (which warms compost pile) by Microorganisms
(Bacteria & Fungi in/from Soil) of Various Forms of Plants & Animal Life (Leaves, Grass/Kitchen Waste [Nitrogen], Wood, Garbage, Natural Fiber
Clothes, Hair, Bones = Organic Matter)

Compost temperature can be measured with COMPOST THERMOMETER or inserting 1 by 1-inch piece of wood into pile & removing periodically
& Feeling Warmth (cooler / hotter than before) With Hands
As available energy's consumed, Microbial Activity slows down & their Numbers diminish & the pile COOLS ; Mostly, Remaining Organic Matter
forms HUMUS COMPOUND (refers to dead/living bodies of microbial life)

Nitrogen (from microbial bodies) becomes part of Humus Structure which stabilizes nitrogen in soil bcz humus compounds are decomposition
resistant

Humus compounds are decomposition-resistent; they're WORKED ON but SLOWLY by soil organisms which protect Nitrogen & other Essential
Nutrients from too Rapid SOLUBILITY & DISSIPATION.

Organic Matter = Humus + Undecomposed organic matter

Humus acts as site of NUTRIENT ABSORPTION (nutrients accumulation on its surface) & EXCHANGE (-ve charge of its particles on humus
surface) for plants in soil
Many plant nutrients (Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium & most trace minerals) have +ve charge in soil solution & thereby attracted to/
adhered to surface of humus except (Phosphorus, Sulfur, & Plant-Available Nitrogen from SOIL/COMPOST BIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION =
not +ve charge)

As PLANT ROOTS grow through soil in Nutrients Search, they feed on Humus ; Each Plant Root is surrounded by halo of HYDROGEN IONS (+ve
charge) which is byproduct of ROOTS' RESPIRATION

Active EXCHANGE b/w ROOTS & HUMUS = The roots exchange some of its +vely charged HYRDGEN IONS for +vely charged NUTRIENTS IONS
stuck on Humus Surface to balance plants own chemistry

Plants chose whatever nutrients combination they need from humus surface; it also stores Nutrients in form which are not readily leached out
GROW BIOINTENSIVE PRACTICES rely on NATURAL, CONTINUAL, SLOW-RELEASING BIOLOGICAL PROCESS rather than making all season's
nutrients chemically at once

Humus contains much of reminder of original nitrogen which was put in compost pile in form of grass, kitchen wastes & so on

Humus is formed by Microorganisms resynthesizing activity which feed on original "garbage"

The microorganisms in soil then feed on Humus after finished compost is spread in soil

As microorganisms feed, core nutrients are released in form more available to plants roots

Clay component of soil Holds Onto & Exchange nutrients with plant roots but HUMUS holds & exchanges far greater amount of nutrients
Soil and Other Materials in the Compost Pile

Get more Compost : As bed soil improves, compost improves; eventually soil becomes compost-like which holds compost juices, microbes &
minerals which otherwise leach out.

Add soil (from first trench of double dug bed) to compost pile which contains good starter supply of Microorganisms (specific bacteria Stabilize
nitrogen from air in pile what's more Available to plants) to break down Complex Compounds into Simpler one

Many microbes (make vibrant soil, preserves vitality for plants) tie up Nitrogen Surpluses which are released gradually as Plants need

Excess available nitrogen in soil increases plants disease risk

Soil Glue : Microbes tie up Essential Nutrients in their bodies as they grow & release them slowly as they die/decompose which stabilize food
release to plants & excrete range of Organic Compounds (disease-curing Antibiotics, health-producing vitamins, enzymes essential for
biochemical reactions in Healthy Soil) into soil contributing to soil structure

Benefits of Using SOIL in Compost

• Holds moisture better, facilitating pile decomposition

• Supplies Microbes for easy pile decomposition

• Protect nutrient-laden compost juices from leaching out

At least 3 different MATERIALS (more Nutrients Diversity & Microbe Diversity) of 3 different TEXTURES (Varied texture allows better pile
Aeration/Drainage) are used in GROW BIOINTENSIVE method compost recipe for better soil/plant health

Different microbes flourish in varied materials ; Primarily Grass/Leaves Cutting both tend to mat (reduced Aeration/Drainage) which requires
TURNING pile frequently

FASTER DECOMPOSITION (Proper Air/Water Penetration; Layering of materials promotes mixture of Textures/Nutrients for even
decomposition)

Microbes Diversity produces Antibiotics (disease-resistent having fewer insect challenges), each Microbe prefer different materials (Beet
Refuse, Wheat Straw etc)

Locating the Pile

Compost piles can be built in Ground Pit (filled with water during rainy season) or Above Ground (Latter is Preferred), with Container (to Shape
Pile & Neat Material)or Without Container (unnecessary Wood/Metal Resources); (SHADE & WINDBREAK by Trees help keep pile at Even
Moisture Level)

1. Optimally build Pile under Deciduous Oak Tree (develop excellent soil underneath it; compost is kinda soil), 2. Pile under any other Deciduous
Tree (except Walnut & Eucalyptus), 3. Pile under any other Evergreen Trees/Shady Place in Backyard ; (Pile should be 6 feet away from tree's
trunk to protect from potentially harmful insects) ; Least Expensive Containers can be seen on internet

Size and Timing

Minimum compost pile size should be 3-3-3-feet (Large compost pile size : 4 feet high, 5 feet wide & 10 feet wide); in colder climate 4-4-4-feet
compost pile size is needed for proper heat insulation (smaller piles provides less insulation for proper heating [up to 140°F] allowing too much
air penetration) in composting process; building piles to this size can be built as materials becomes available but BUILDING entire pile at one
time is best; Pile'll cure to 1/3 to 1/4 of its original size, depending on materials used; Spring/Autumn (too much heat/cold slows down/kills
Microbes in pile = Slow Curing) is best time to prepare compost when max materials availability (rapid growth in spring, leaves fall in autumn) &
biological activity

Key Organic Matter Functions

1. Organic Matter (Energy Source of Microbial Life [Bacteria, Fungi, Antinomycetes, Algae = core part of soil]) feeds plants through Nutrient
Exchange & Release upon Decomposition.

2. It's Continual Slow-Release Source of Nutrients for Plants.

3. Organic Acids (Increases Plant Root Membranes Permeability promoting Roots uptake of Water & Nutrients) in Humus help dissolve Minerals
Nutrients available to Plants in Soil

4. Microbes (e.g fungi with threadlike mycelia) bind/sew soil particles temporarily together;Bacterial Glue (Polysaccharides) from Microbes
(Living, Metabolizing, Decomposition) Secretions improves Soil Structure (by holding soil particles) insures Increased Productivity (Better
Aeration,Drainage, Water Retention,Erosion Resistance)

5. Organic Matter is Key to Soil Structure (Erosion free, Open,Porous Soil for better Water/Air Penetration)
Building the Pile

Ground Underneath pile loosened to 12 inches deep for Good Drainage

Lay down roughage 3 inches thick for Air Circulation

45/45/10 GROW BIOINTENSIVE Compost

Recipe

By Volume, 45% Mature (Dry) Materials, 45% Immature (Green) Vegetation (including kitchen wastes), & 10%
Soil; Each layer should be watered well as it's created ; 30:1 Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratios with Significant Amount Of High Quality, Short-Term
Humified Carbon;

Effect : Hotter (113° to 149°F) Pile, Faster-Releasing Cured Compost generally releases nutrients over 3-Months to 2-Years Period; Lot a carbon
is lost in compost pile, resulting cured compost have about 1/3 to 1/2 the Cured Organic Matter that cooler (Mesophilic 50° to 113°F) 60-to-1
compost pile will

produce.

60-to-1 GROW BIOINTENSIVE Compost

Recipe

8 Parts Mature Materials to 2 Parts Green Materials (including

Kitchen Wastes) & 1 Part Soil ; Effect : Slower-Releasing Cured Compost generally releases nutrients over 3-Months upto 5000-Years Period,
Especially if Mature Materials contain Large amount of Lignin (e.g Corn, Sorghum Stalks); for Long-Term Soil Fertility, More Readily Available
Nutrients in Cured Compost for Most Vegetables Good Growth ; Separate Compost Pile of Small Tree Branches (2 or more years to
decompose) added to pile in 1- to 2-inch
layers with Mature Vegetation at bottom, Immature Vegetation (& Kitchen Waste) Second, & Soil Third (in ¼- to ½-inch layer) ; Spontaneous Pile
(take longer to get cured) can be built by adding materials daily/so or as they become available; Save Kitchen Scraps (Surely Add Bones, Tea
Leaves, Coffee Grounds, Egg Shells, Citrus Rinds except Meat/Sizeable Oily Solid Scraps) in Tight-lided, Unbreakable Container for several days
to get enough material for Kitchen Waste Materials; Mature Vegetation is high in Carbon Content which is difficult for Microbes to digest CO²
without sufficient Nitrogen; May hold breath when dumping Kitchen Scraps Container bcz of Stronger-Smelling (disappears within few hours
after Air Introducing, but cabbage family's smell take longer to be eliminated) Anaerobic Decomposition ; Always cover Kitchen Scraps with Soil
to avoid Files (from laying eggs) & Odors; Add Soil Layer (to speed up decomposition, odor-less, less-flies) Immediately after Immature
Materials & Kitchen Waste

Watering the Pile

As each layer is added, Water (to Decompose / Heat) it thoroughly to make pile evenly moist—like wrung-out damp sponge which doesn't give
out excess water when Squeezed; Too Little Water = Decreased Biological Activity, Too Much Water = Drowns Aerobic Microbial Life; Water pile
when necessary, pile particles should glisten;

During rainy season covering is needed to prevent waterlogging & limited anaerobic decomposition that occurs in waterlogged pile, compost
pile requirements (Proper Air Mixture, Soil Nutrients, Structure, Microbes & Water is essential)

Compost Curing and Application Rates

Usually, compost pile needs ONE TURNING (After Pile Temperature Peaked & Fallen ≈ 3-Week Point [Decreased Moisture, Original Green/Yellow
to Brownish Color, From Musty to Earthy Freshly Plowed Soil Aroma]) for Moisture Adjustment & More Homogeneous Mixture for complete
breakdown; Compost is normally ready about Months Later; Don't Turn compost necessarily, pile will take Longer to be cured but would give
more Cured Compost (no TURNING = less oxidation) per unit of built material, Frequent Pile Turning = Faster Built compost ; Compost is Ready
= Dark/Rich & crumbling in hands, even texture, cannot discern original source of materials, water in forest spring odor ; GROW

BIOINTENSIVE pile is ready in 3-6 months; Undecomposed (twigs & small branches that heightens pile for decomposition having increased
Warmth & Moisture) Compost Pile Parts should be placed at bottom of new pile at composting period end; Before Main Crop Max Maintenance
Dressing of ½ inch compost should be added Annually

& Before each additional 4- to 6-month Crop;Maintenance Dressings are 1⁄8- to ½-inch layer of compost (1 to 4 cubic feet) per 100 square feet

Notes :

• When compost pile is turned, make new pile's base smaller than original base to give turned pile More internal Volume & Less Surface Area.

• If Fully Cured Compost isn't used, stop watering it & spread it to dry.
• Compost sifted through ½ Inch Wire Fabric is less likely to attract Root Hair-eating Symphylans.

Composting Methods Compared

GROW BIOINTENSIVE (Sometimes Uses Weeds as Compost Ingredients = Stinging Nettle, Fava

Beans) Method is simpler, normally uses no Manure & Herbal Solutions to stimulate Microorganisms Growth

Manure is Imbalanced Fertilizer used continually & in large amounts in biodynamic compost piles is good Texturizing Agent due to its usual
decomposed sawdust content ;GROW

BIOINTENSIVE recipe differs for Specific pH, Structure, Nutrients Requirements

GROW BIOINTENSIVE method differs from Rodale Method by using little/no Manure, usually no Rock Powder, Nitrogen Supplements (speed up
decomposition process); Instead of using Fertilizer in Pile a Mixture of Ingredients can be used; Biodynamic & Rodale Method are Good ones,
Proven by use over long time; Chadwick's BIOINTENSIVE recipe is simpler & equally effective

Some People use SHEET COMPOSTING (spreading Uncomposted Organic Materials over soil & then digging them into soil, where they
decompose; Disadvantage : Soil can't be planted until Decomposition has occurred, 3 months or so; Soil Bacteria tie up Nitrogen (making it
unavailable to plants) during Decomposition process especially in Winter Rains

Green Manures (Cover Crops : Vetch, Clover, Alfalfa, Beans, Peas, or other legumes) are grown until 10% to 50% flowers then Nitrogen-Rich
(Green) Plants are Dug Into Soil (Max Nitrogen is fixed in their Root Nodules for Seed-Formation Process)

If nodule's (by cutting 1 in half with fingernail) inside is pink, they have fixed nitrogen.
These plants provide nitrogen without fertilizer & loosen unworked soil (by their roots & eventually turn into humus beneath earth) into better
condition for digging.

Fava Beans (their dead body remove tomatoes wilt organisms from soil) are exceptional for green manuring if planting tomatoes.

Green Manure Crops are much effective as compost materials & still their roots are soil-affecting due to several reasons:

1. Green Manure decompose rapidly & deplete some soil's humus.

2. Green Manuring disadvantage is that land is not producing food crops during Cover Crop Growth & 1-month period of decomposition.

3. Green Manure generally produces ¼ the carbon in given area that Carbonaceous Compost crops do, Humus form of carbon is limiting &
essential in maintaining sustainable soil fertility (by microbial life's energy source & holding soil minerals in soil without leaching)
Small-Scale GROW

BIOINTENSIVE method is that backyard composting is easily feasible.

Using composting crops without digging in the crop residues (valuable in compost pile) , growing process will fix nitrogen in soil & make plants
growth possible e.g corn, tomatoes which are heavy nitrogen feeders

Materials to Use Minimally or Not at All

To Use Less Desirable Materials & Manures should be used only of pile pile volume to reduce their Less Optimum Effects.
Following Materials shouldn't be used in Compost Preparation :

• Infected/Diseased plants or where insects could survive/lay eggs (Insects Attack) in spite of compost pile's heat.

• Poisonous Plants which harm soil life i.e Oleander, Hemlock, & Castor

Beans.

• Longer Decomposing Plants : Magnolia Leaves.

• Plants having Toxic Acid for other Plants & Microbes : Eucalyptus,California Bay, Laurel, Walnut, Juniper, & Cypress.
• Too Acidic for Soil/Microbes OR Decomposition-interfering Plants : Pine Needles (Extremely Acidic & Kerosene-Containing), However Special
compost of pine needles & leaves is made for acid-loving plants i.e strawberries to lower soil's pH.

• Plants which can regrow (not killed in decomposition heat) when compost is placed in planting beds : Ivy & Succulents.

• Pernicious Weeds : Wild Morning Glory &

Bermuda Grass (survive in decomposition heat & resprout after compost is placed in a planting).

• Cat & Dog Manures having harmful pathogens (not killed in decomposition heat) to infants.

Note : Approx 4% to 6% (by weight) organic matter is needed in temperate soils for fertility maintenance ; 3% (by weight) for tropical soil fertility
maintenance; Organic Matter Level is <6 Inches Deep
Infected/Diseased Plants & Pernicious Weeds should be burnt to be destroyed properly because their Ashes (control harmful soil insects e.g
carrot worms which shy from ashes alkalinity) can became fertilizer (Use ashes in moderate amounts.)

There are
predaceous fungi that attack and devour nematodes (see

this page), but these fungi are only found in large uh

amounts in a soil with adequate humus.

THE END

Dry leaves = phosphorus, green leaves = nitrogen, ash/ banana waste= potash,