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Compost

The document discusses different methods of composting organic material including bin composting, tumbler composting, sunken pail composting, sheet composting, and anaerobic composting. It provides details on the benefits of composting, what materials can and cannot be composted, and how to properly maintain a compost pile or bin.

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Melikte
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44 views

Compost

The document discusses different methods of composting organic material including bin composting, tumbler composting, sunken pail composting, sheet composting, and anaerobic composting. It provides details on the benefits of composting, what materials can and cannot be composted, and how to properly maintain a compost pile or bin.

Uploaded by

Melikte
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Composting:

the rotten truth

Anne Kolaczyk
Purdue University Master Gardener
©2006Anne Kolaczyk
Composting
Composting is the transformation of
organic material (plant matter) through
decomposition into a soil-like material
called compost.

Invertebrates (insects and earthworms),


and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi)
help in this transformation.
Kinds
 Bin composting
 Tumbler composting
 Sunken pail composting
 Sheet composting
 Anaerobic composting
 Vermicomposting
Why do it
 Environmentally responsible
 Keeps biodegradable waste out of
landfills and sewage plants
 Alternative to burning
 Gives you a vibrant garden
without chemical fertilizers
 Saves money
 Learning tool
What it involves
 Adding ingredients
 Maintaining proper temperature
 Turning
 Maintaining moisture
 Harvesting
Bin composting

“backyard composting”
Composting bins
 Ready made
 Homemade
 Bin-less pile
Ready made
 Expensive
 Limited capacity
 Good if space is an
issue
Homemade
 Three bins are best
 One to fill
 One that’s “cooking”
 One to turn others into or to draw from
Bin-less pile
 Just a pile with no partitions
 Hard to maintain sufficient depth to
achieve high enough temperatures
 Easy and nothing to build
 Moveable
What you can compost
 Yard waste
 Kitchen scraps
 Newspaper
 Cardboard
What not to compost
 Meat scraps
 Bones
 Dairy products
 Pet waste
 Diseased plants
 Invasive weeds
C:N ratio
 Should be 30 parts carbon to 1 part
nitrogen by weight
 Grass Clippings 19:1
 Leaves 40:1
 Equal weight of each would give you
approximately 30:1 ratio for pile
What’s what
 Brown (Carbon)  Green (Nitrogen)
 Leaves  Grass clippings
 Dirt  Plant clippings
 Grocery bags  Fertilizer
 Bird seed hulls  Coffee grounds
 Wood chips
C:N ratio, my take

Whatever!
Care of compost
 Passive
 Let sit
 Takes months and months
 Active
 Turn often
 Keep moist (H2O 40-60% of weight)
 Have proper ratio of C:N (30:1)
 2-6 weeks (depending on ingredients)
Let’s get real
Concerns Solutions
I don’t have room Use commercial bin

It takes too long  Maintain proper conditions


 Cut up large pieces

It smells Not if you maintain C:N ratio


Temps too low to kill Use local community composting
diseases, fungi, weed seeds facility for problem pieces,
compost the rest
Attracts animals Bury food waste in center
Uses
 Early stages as mulch
 Keeps weeds from growing
 Helps retain moisture
 Beneficial minerals go into soil
 Later stages for soil amending
 Enriches soil
 Helps with moisture retention
 Removes/reduces need for chemical
fertilizers that leach into our ground water
What method is right for me???
 How much space do I have?
 Is it indoor or outdoor or both?
 What do I want to compost?
 How much waste do I have a week?
 How and where do I want to use the compost?
 How much time can I spend on it a week?
 What’s my ewww! factor?
 How committed am I to composting?
Resources
 Purdue Extension office
 Library
 Internet
Bin

Anaerobic
Just do it! Tumbler

composting

Vermi Pail

Sheet

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