composting made easy
DESCRIPTION
This is the basic presentation I give for my workshops. Lots of fun slides and of course you may insert my humor where appropriate. Thank you for composting!!TRANSCRIPT
Composting Basics Ken Freestone, M.C.
www.greenwestmichigan.org
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
Beehive Composter
$39.95 to $99.95
$119.95 $15.88
$495
$399
$225
How Do You Choose?
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
Too many browns and your compost doesn't decay swiftly. The bacteria are not
getting enough nitrogen to grow the colony.
What is the right mix?
Optimally, you want to target a 30:1 Carbon:Nitrogen ratio in your compost heap. Most greens have a 20:1 C/N ratio on there own. You are just making up the difference. So double up your browns to your greens and your C/N ratio for your compost should even itself out. So, a 1.5:1 brown/green ratio (or approximately 60%/40%) should approximate the 30:1 Carbon Nitrogen ratio targeted by your compost pile.
What is the right mix?
Layer two parts leaves and one part grass clippings and presto, your compost heap
creates its own balanced C/N ratio
What is the right mix?
For the backyard composter, the 30:1 Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) ratio is more easily estimated
by a 2:1 ratio of C:N by volume, i.e., 2 bags of leaves per 1 bag of grass clippings
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
Oxygen
Another essential ingredient for successful composting is oxygen. There are two methods of decomposition based on oxygen availability: Aerobic Occurs as microorganisms use oxygen to transform carbon in to energy, producing carbon dioxide in the process. Oxygen concentrations greater than 5% are considered optimal for maintaining aerobic composting. This is the preferred method of decomposition in the backyard situation.
Anaerobic Occurs when the oxygen level is below the optimal amount. Without oxygen, a different group of microorganisms convert organic matter into carbon dioxide gas, methane, various alcohols, volatile fatty acids, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide gas, most of which produce noxious odors. This method produces compost, but much more slowly (and with more odor) than aerobic processes.
Oxygen
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
A moisture content of 40 – 60% is generally considered ideal for composting. You can estimate the ideal moisture content using the “squeeze test”. Basically, the compost moisture should feel damp to the touch and, when squeezed, contain about as much moisture as a wrung-out sponge. Moisture content of compostable materials : •Lettuce 87% •Peaches 80% •Dry dog food 10% •Newspaper 5%
Moisture
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
For those who want to do a little more and produce composted material faster and a little richer, follow this procedure: •Build or buy a container for the compost pile. This will prevent the material from blowing away or being scattered by dogs or wild animals •Spread a portion of the materials to be composted in a layer 6 to 8 inches thick
Super Fast
With more care, it is possible to compost organic waste in about two weeks. The main requirements and materials are: •Need Animal Manure •Need to Shred all Plant Materials •Pile must heat to 130° - 150 °F •Keep well Watered •Pile Must be Aerated
Super Fast
What you need for composting: Vessel Open air Piled Fenced Contained Materials Carbon - Brown & Dry Nitrogen - Green & Moist Air Water Heat You and your Microorganisms
Who Does the Work? You and your Microorganisms
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC NGM/Central Park - VIDEO
Local Composting Resources Ken Freestone, Master Composter www.greenwestmichigan.org [email protected] Angela Topp-West Shore Mall, Holland www.thetreehuggerstore.com 616.396.1710 Dave Smith-Holland www.gogreenstep.com
Wall Street Journal compost system testing video/Hosted on Sierra Club website http://tinyurl.com/2ej8s8h Wall Street Journal compost video follow up http://tinyurl.com/25mom5g Gardener’s supply company http://www.gardeners.com/ Gardener’s supply company - How to choose a composter http://tinyurl.com/dedorf Red Worm Composting Video http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting-videos/ Clean Air Gardening Website http://www.cleanairgardening.com/ Clean Air Gardening Newsletter – April 2010/composting http://tinyurl.com/2df3f79 MSU Extension – Simple Compost Pile http://tinyurl.com/2bohog2
Composting Basics Ken Freestone, M.C.
www.greenwestmichigan.org