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Composting – Nature’s Lifecycle “Everything returns to the Earth”. What is Compost?.
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Composting – Nature’s Lifecycle“Everything returns to the Earth”
What is Compost? Compost is organic material that over time has been consumed by animals of all sizes, from larger mammals, birds and rodents to worms, insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this natural lifecycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigested food that is left on the forest floor to create rich, soft, sweet-smelling soil.
Why Compost Our Food Waste? • Return nutrients to the soil • Create the best mulch/fertilizer for free • Reduce the amount of trash that you send to the landfill, where it creates CO2, does not break down and becomes toxic • Feed your plants • Think about the impact on the next 7 generations, as Native Americans do
Anyone Can Compost • Home dwellers – locate compost bin next to trashcans for convenience, or near backdoor. • Apartment dwellers – talk to landlord about having a compost bin by the trashcans, and/or set up your own vermicomposting system • It doesn’t cost anything to set up a compost system and it’s a simple thing to do, yet has a large result! • What is your level of courage?
Why is Compost So Good? • Adds nutrients to the soil, which in turn supports healthier and more productive plants. Compost provides virtually all of the essential nutrients for plant growth, and more importantly, it releases these nutrients over time to give a slow, steady consistent intake of essential elements needed for growth. • Improves the structure of soil, making it able to hold water, yet it creates pockets of air that plant roots need as well. • Eliminates the need for synthetic fertilizers which leach chemicals into the groundwater and pollute our streams and lakes.
Why doesn’t food compost in the landfill? • No oxygen – mummifies waste • Mixed with non-organic plastics and waste • Built to encapsulate waste, no breakdown • Monitored for 30 years to watch for toxins
How big should the bin be? • 3 foot by 3 foot is optimal • Organic matter needs a balance of air, water and nitrogen/carbon to heat up and begin the composting process
Compost Lasagna • Brown Layer (noodles) • Green Layer (spinach) • Water (sauce) • Air • Time
Greens (Nitrogen-rich) • Kitchen scraps • Ground eggshells • Grass clippings • Used coffee grounds/filters and teabags • Leaves and garden waste • Pulverized bones • Manure from herbivores (hamsters, horses, rabbits, chickens) • Compostable packing materials (made from corn) • Feathers and hair • Old flower bouquets
Browns (Carbon-rich) Fall leaves (shredded preferably) Spent plants Dry grass clippings Shredded paper/cardboard/newspapers Sawdust Pine needles Old potting soil Food-soiled paper napkins/towels Stale flour, cereals, spices Nutshells Vacuum bag contents Paper based egg cartons
What NOT to put in bin • Meat • Dairy products • Pet waste • Clay kitty litter • A lot of garden soil • Weeds with seed heads
Do I have to purchase a bin? • Pallets -or- • Snow fencing -or- • Chicken wire -or- • A plastic trash can -or- • A wine barrel ala Terracycle Reuse/recycle materials you have at home if possible. Most cities have bins for sale as well, made from recycled plastic.
Other Forms of Composting • Vermicomposting • Bokashi • Windrow composting (commercial) • Sheet composting • Pet Waste composter • Indoor composter
Vermicompostingaka Indoor Composting • Rubbermaid bin • Shredded cardboard, some shredded newspaper • Kitchen scraps • Worms • Spray bottle of water • www.wormmainea.com • www.redwormcomposting.com
Bokashi Composting Bokashi composting for kitchen waste is an odorless and simple method of composting everything from veggie scraps to meat, bones and dairy products
Windrow Composting This method of composting is used for processing large amounts of compost, mostly for commercial productions.
Sheet Composting aka Lasagna Gardening • Best to do this in the fall • Slow method of composting • Carbon rich ingredients will take nitrogen from the soil to break down • Layers of newspaper and kitchen waste create your ‘lasagna’ and in the spring you have a garden bed ready for planting
The Dog Waste Composter • Take and old garbage can and drill a dozen or so holes in the side. • Cut out the bottom (A keyhole saw works great for this.) • Dig a hole in the ground, deep enough for the garbage can. • Toss some rocks or gravel in the hole for drainage and position the garbage can so it's a little higher than the soil level. • Place the lid on top (you might want to paint it with something like Dog Waste Composter.) • When you scoop some poop, put it in the hole and sprinkle in some septic starter (available at hardware stores) and add some water.
Indoor Composter • Nature Mill Composter • Creates compost in two weeks • $299.00
Do I need a compost accelerator? • You may add: septic tank enzymes old beer or wine graywater urine (it’s aseptic and will not smell up the pile, I promise) old fruit juice or sour milk cooking water
Addition Helpful Tools • Pitchfork or turning fork • Shovel • Compost Thermometer
What can I do with my compost? • Seed starting. It’s light and airy, and allows quick growth. You can add it to commercial potting mix, which is primary made up of peat moss, which has virtually no nutrients, so compost gives it a great boost. • Mulch, to hold in moisture for established plants, and nourish them as the compost continues to break down. • Lawn food, as it’s a slow release food that will help your lawn resist diseases. You’ll have no chemical run-off and you’ll save money, as well as make your lawn come alive with earthworms and beneficial microbes.
Go Forth and Compost! • Choose your method • Make from materials on hand to save money and reuse/recycle • Share what you’ve learned • Enrich your garden and the planet!
