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Composting: For The Best Garden You Have Ever Grown or Seen

Composting is the natural process of decomposing organic material into a nutrient-rich humus. It involves creating piles or bins with alternating layers of green, nitrogen-rich materials and brown, carbon-rich materials. Maintaining the proper moisture level, oxygen flow, and carbon-nitrogen ratio allows microorganisms to break down the materials at optimum temperatures, producing compost in a few months. The finished compost can then be applied to soil and plants as a natural fertilizer to improve soil quality and plant growth.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
103 views16 pages

Composting: For The Best Garden You Have Ever Grown or Seen

Composting is the natural process of decomposing organic material into a nutrient-rich humus. It involves creating piles or bins with alternating layers of green, nitrogen-rich materials and brown, carbon-rich materials. Maintaining the proper moisture level, oxygen flow, and carbon-nitrogen ratio allows microorganisms to break down the materials at optimum temperatures, producing compost in a few months. The finished compost can then be applied to soil and plants as a natural fertilizer to improve soil quality and plant growth.

Uploaded by

tatnef
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Composting

For the best garden you


have ever grown or seen.
What is Composting?

 Composting is the natural way of


degrading organic material into humus
and minerals
 It is a natural aerobic microbiological
process that returns plant nutrients to the
soil where they can again be absorbed by
plants for new growth.
 It supplies plants with nitrogen or nitrogen
containing materials, additional nutrients
and beneficial microorganisms
Why should we make Compost?

Compost is an excellent soil additive


that increases the productivity and
workability of soil.
It is also inexpensive and solves the
problem of disposing of plant, kitchen
wastes and other waste products.
Carbon/Nitrogen ratio(C/N)
 Maximum composting efficiency occurs when
Carbon is properly balanced with Nitrogen.
 To achieve this, blend equal parts by volume of
grass clippings with dry leaves and shredded
twigs or branches.
 Urea fertilizer or other nitrogen source can be
used in place of green vegetation if necessary
– 1 lb. urea to 1 cubic yd. leaves
– 6 lb. urea to 1 cubic yd. wood chips
– Collected urine from healthy people can also
be used.
How can you make compost?

 Add extra nitrogen to shredded leaves


 Or mix 5 parts leaves to 1 part manure
Or add dried blood meal, alfalfa meal
at the rate of 2 cups to a
wheelbarrow load of brown leaves
or other carbon rich wastes such as
shredded paper.
How much to water (H2O)?
 Ideally you should maintain moisture level at
about 50%
 Compost should feel about like a wet sponge.
 If compost is dry with no residue of water you
should add water.
 If, when a handfull is squeezed, water runs
freely, then there is too much water.
In that case, allow compost to dry out by
removing any coverings or add more dry
material and mix.
Is Oxygen (O2) neccessary?

 Yes, The bacteria and actinomycetes (fungi) that


do the work must have access to oxygen.
 If oxygen is in short supply anaerobic organisms
will take over and cause a bad undesirable smell.
 Provide adequate ventilation by turning the pile
frequently or by venting.
 Restrict size of the pile to no more than 5 ft. high
and 5 ft. wide. 4x4 makes an ideal size. Any
length will do. Or make additional piles.
Composting Temperatures
 Optimum temperatures are between 100o and
140oF because those higher temperatures kill
disease organisms, insects, and some but not all
weed seeds.
 Composting at the center of the pile is complete
when temperatures within the pile drop below
100o F.
 Material on the outside edges of the pile may not
have reached proper temperatures. If so, turn the
pile, putting outside edges inside and allow it to
compost more.
Will shredding the materials help?

 Yes. Smaller particles decompose faster as there


are more surfaces for the bacteria to work on.
 You should shred brush and prunings to compact
them and leaves to prevent layering.
 However, very small particles may compact and
restrict oxygen availability.
 Therefore a blend of small and large particles
will be most efficient.
 A shredder although expensive is well worth the
cost to the devoted composter.
For a Successful Compost Pile
Step One
Select a Site that:
1. Gets shade in the summer and sun in the winter
to take advantage of natural heating and cooling.
2. Is convenient for adding materials and for
removing finished compost.
3. Has a source of water nearby
4. Does not detract from the landscape and is not
a problem for you or your neighbors.
Choose your method
Step Two
II. Containers if used should:
- be accessible
- resist decay
- allow air flow
i.e. - poles w/chicken wire, wooden pallets,
cinder blocks, prefabricated structures.,
III. Open composting
sheet composting, pit composting, etc.
III. Select the Proper Materials

Acceptable Not Acceptable


• Grass clippings • Meats
• Leaves and Weeds • Bones
• Manures • Large Branches
• Coffee Grounds unless chipped
• Wood Chips, Sawdust • Synthetic Products
• Bark, Stems, Stalks
• Plastics
• Garden & Canning
Waste • Pet or Human Solid
• Fruit & Vegetables Wastes
IV. Make the Pile Work

A compost pile is not just rotting garbage.


Successful compost piles are structured as follows:
1. Build layers of green plant waste alternating
2. with carbonaceous materials
3. Add water to keep all materials moist but not
soggy.
4. Occasionally mix so all the contents are
composted.
V. Trouble Shooting
If the pile or bin develops A strong odor from insufficient
oxygen
– Turn the pile or bin
 Pile is damp, but won’t heat - insufficient nitrogen
– Add fertilizer, urea or grass clipping
 Pile is dry and not composting - insufficient water
– Form pile so center is lowest to collect rainwater or
– add water.
 Ammonia smell - too much nitrogen
– Add sawdust of other high carbon material and turn
pile
Using your Compost

 Your compost is ready to use when the


temperatures within the pile begin to cool
and remain steady even after turning.
Screening to remove particles larger than
1/2” diameter improves handling and quality.
 Red worms that may inhabit the pile do not need
to be removed when using the compost. They will
continue to work on the organic matter present
in your soil but they may be unwanted in flower
pots.
The final product will be dark, have an earthy
smell and can be used as an excellent source of
plant nutrients.
Apply it to your garden and flower beds to create
an ideal environment for everything that grows.

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