THE DIRT ON COMPOST - chandleraz.gov
Transcript of THE DIRT ON COMPOST - chandleraz.gov
1
August 27, 2020We appreciate you joining the virtual class. We will begin our class on time at 6:00pm.Just Some Reminders:
- All attendees are automatically muted and will not be able to unmute or share video once joined in the class.- Please place all comments or questions in the Q&A box. We will have personnel reviewing and answering questions
as they are received. We will present the questions to the instructor at points within the presentation and at the end. - Class handout material(s) are in the reminder emails that were sent leading up to this class. The attachment links to
the handout documents are toward the bottom of the email. - If you are having technical difficulties, feel free to email us at: [email protected] or call 480-782-3606- This workshop and the conversations in the Q&A chat box will both be recorded. - The most recent Class Reminder email that was sent a couple hours ago includes the presentation slides.
THEDIRTON
COMPOST
©KirtiMathura2020
Compostingcanbeverysimple……orquitecomplicated.
It’syourchoice!
Youneedtochooseasystemthatworksforyou.
2
Yourchoiceshouldtakeintoaccount:
‐thetimeyouarewillingandabletospendonyourcompost
‐thephysicaleffortrequiredbythedifferentsystems
‐thematerialsthatareavailable
Choosingapilestyle
Generally,amassthatisaboutacubicyard(orlarger)isgoodforsuccessfulcomposting.Ifitistoosmall,itwon’tholdheatormoistureverywell(andwilltakelongertoprocess).
Thesizeofyoursystemshouldtakeintoaccount theamountofspaceyouhaveavailable,aswellastheamountofmaterialyouhavetocompost.
Yoursystemcanbeasimpleheaporpile…
3
…oritcanbesomesortofbinifyouareinterestedintidinessoraesthetics.
Gardening– Henry Beard & Roy McKie
Ifyoupreferabinsystem,itshouldbeatleast3’wideandabout3’tall.
32”– 36”isconsideredthemaximumheightforeaseofworkingyoursystem.
3’
3’
Considerwhetheryouwantastationaryoramovablestructure.
Ifthebinisstationary,removablepanelsorslats,gates,ordoorscanmakeworkingeasier.
4
Binscanbeopen‐sidedorenclosed(butnotairtight)
OPEN‐SIDED vs. ENCLOSEDbetteraeration decreasedaerationdriesoutfaster retainsmoistureloosesheatfaster holdsheatbetter
detersanimals
Somebinstyles:galvanizedhardwarecloth,orchickenwire
‐makingacircularenclosureiseasy
recycledpallets‐pineismorerot‐resistantthanhardwoods‐choosepalletsthathavenarrowspacesbetweentheslats
(paintcanpallets)
5
screen‐ keepssmallmaterialfromfallingout
wood‐untreatedwoodwilldecomposeovertime,(cedarorredwoodareslowesttodecay)‐treatedwoodorpaintedwoodmaycontainheavymetalssuchasarsenic,copper,chromium,orothertoxins,thatcouldleachintocompostovertime
cinderblocks
6
flexibleplasticenclosure
recycledtrashbinswithorwithoutlids,
right‐side‐uporupside‐down
recycledplasticbinsstanding
7
recycledplastictumblers
composttumblers
NOPITS!!!
Pitsdon’tallowproperaerationandcanholdtoomuchwater!
Theycaneasilybecomeanaerobic(andstinky!)
8
1compartmentvs.2ormorecompartments
Takeintoconsiderationthespaceyouhaveavailable,thequantityofmaterialyouhaveto compost,andyourhabits.
Locatingyourcompostsystem‐easyaccessforyou‐accessfromyourkitchenandgardenareas‐enoughspacetomaneuverasyouwork
*accesstoawatersource‐placedawayfromwallsorfencesthatcanrotordiscolor
‐locatedonlevel,welldrainedsurface‐notalowspotintheyard
*
9
‐nottooclosetoatreeorlargeshrub‐rootswillgrowupintothecompost
‐sunvs.shade‐summer:sunwilldrythepileoutfaster‐winter:sunwillkeepmicroorganismsmoreactive
‐aesthetics
Thecompostingprocess
Tocreateafinishedcompostproduct,youneedtoprovidefood,water,andair.
Ifyouprovidetheseessentials,theworkerswillcome.
10
Thefood isthematerialyouputintothecompost.
Acarbontonitrogenratioofatleast3:1willprovideasuitablecombinationofmaterial.
Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.
carbonsources:*deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons
Kirti Mathura
Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.
carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)*chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons
11
Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.
carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)*coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons
Kirti Mathura
Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.
carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefilters*teabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons
compostableitems
12
Nitrogen(N)isprovidedbygreenormoistmaterial.
nitrogensources:
kitchenfruitandveggiescraps
Kirti Mathura
Kirti Mathura
pulpfromajuicebar
Nitrogen(N)isprovidedbygreenormoistmaterial.
nitrogensources:
coffeegrounds(fromcoffeeshops)
freshwinterryegrasscuttings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)
youngweeds(thathavenotfloweredyet,donothaveseeds)
freshyard/gardenwaste
hair
manure
13
manures
cowshorsesgoatssheepchickensrabbits
NOcats,dogs,orbirds(cancarrydisease‐causingpathogens,orparasitessuchasroundwormsortapeworms)
Itissafesttousefullycompostedmanureinyourherbandvegetablegardens.Thisshouldpreventpossiblepathogens,suchasSalmonella,Listeria,andE.coli,fromcontaminatingyourgardenproduce.Ifnotfullycomposted,thegreatestriskofpathogensiswithrootcropsorediblepartsofothervegetablesorherbsthatcomeindirectcontactwiththesoil.
Manurecancontainconcentratedsalts.
Freshmanurecanburnplantroots.
coverfoodscrapswithalayerofcarbontodiscourageflies
14
Donotfeedyourpile:
diseasedorinsect‐infestedplantmaterialsmeat,fish,bonesordairyproducts(canattracthouseflies)fatsoroilsofanykind(canbecomerancid,smelly)weedseeds(unlessyoucomposthot!)ashesminerallimeeggshells(madeofcalcium…)catordogfecesmagazines,coloredpagesofnewspaper(ads)
youngweeds=ok
noseeds‐floweringweeds=dangerous
Plantmaterialwithtoxinsorgrowthinhibitors:
Thechemicaltoxinsorgrowthinhibitorsarebrokendownifthematerialisfully decomposed.
oleandereucalyptussaltcedar(tamarisk)sunflowerpaloverde
15
Thewater isthemoistureyouprovideforthecompostmaterials.
Maintainthematerialsinamoistcondition,damplikeawrung‐outsponge.
Ifthepilebecomestoowet,ananaerobicconditioniscreated,alongwithanaccompanyingodor.Aerationandadditionalcarbonmaterialscancreateanaerobicenvironmentonceagain,suitableforthedesiredorganisms.
Theair istheaerationofthecompost.
Provideproperaerationofthesystembyfrequentlyturningandmixingthematerialssoairwillbeavailableforthehardworkingmicroorganisms.Ideally,turnthepileonceaweek.Donotaeratemorethanthreetimesaweek.
Somehandytoolsforaeratingyourpile:
pitchforkdiggingforkflat‐edgedshovel
16
compostaeratorgizmos
pvc tubewithholes Compost Crank®
wingedaerator
aeration
Theworkers arethemicroorganisms(andmacroorganisms).
Youcanaddafewshovels‐fullofcompost,soilthathasbeenamendedwithcompost,orsomecommercialcompost“starter”orinoculant(oractivator)toprovidetheagentsneededtodecomposetheorganicmatter.
17
Theorganicmaterialsarebrokendownbyfungi,bacteria,actinomycetesandothermicroorganisms.
mycelia–indicatesgoodfungusatwork!
Therearebothaerobic andanaerobic bacteria.
Withhealthycompostinghabits,youwillencouragethepreferredtypesofaerobic bacteria.
‐psychrophilicbacteria– activebetween0– 55oF‐mesophilicbacteria– activebetween50– 120oF‐thermophilic(heat‐loving)bacteria– activebetween120– 150oF
18
Chop,shred,ordicethedebrisintosmallpieces.Theincreasedsurfaceareamakesiteasierforthemicroorganismstodotheirwork,soyouwillhavefinishedcompostfaster.
shredders
19
Macroorganisms (largerorganisms)suchasearthworms,pillbugs,crickets,beetles,roaches,etc.,helpbreakdownlargerpiecesofmaterial,somicroorganismscantakeoverandfinishthejob.
TemperaturesAtemperatureof100– 150o Finthecompostpileindicatesthatthemicroorganismsarehardatwork.Thiscreatesthemostrapidlyfinishedcompostproduct.
Highertemperaturesof150– 160o Fwillkillmostweedseedandeggsofcritterssuchascricketsorroaches.
20
Stagesofcomposting:stockpiling,hotcomposting,andcuring.
Stockpilingiscollectingmaterialsuntilyouhaveenoughtomakeabatchofcompost.Holdingbinscankeepthingstidy,keepleavesorotherlightweightmaterialsfromblowingaway.
stockpiling…
…shredding
stagesofcomposting:
hotcomposting stockpiling
21
stagesofcomposting:
curing
DecompositionThefinishedcompostproductwilloccupyonly25‐ 40%ofthespaceofthestartingmaterials.Ifthematterisfullydecomposed,youcan’tidentifyanyparticularmaterials.Theendresult,humus,isadark,richlooking,crumblymaterialthatsmellsearthy.
homemadecompostsifters
22
TimelineTheprocesscantakeaslittleas4– 6weeks,ormoretypicallyaslongas 6months,toayear.
Morefibrousmaterials(fibrousagaveleaves,corncobs,bananapeels,pineneedles)takelongertobreakdown.
Benefitsofcompostforvegetablesandherbs
‐Compostenhancessoilstructure,allowingbetterrootdevelopmentforstrongerplants.‐loosensheavy,clayeysoils‐holdssandy,orgravellysoilstogether‐reducessoilcompactionanderosion
‐Compostprovidesbetterwater‐holdingcapacityofsoil.‐createsbetterdrainageinclayeysoils‐allowssaltstoleachbelowtherootzone
‐holdsmoisturemoreeffectivelyinsandyorrockysoils‐reducesleachingofnutrientsbelowtherootzone
23
SOILNUTRIENTAVAILABILITYRELATIVETOSOILpH
‐ComposthelpslowersoilpHovertime.‐makesnutrientsmorereadilyavailableforabsorptionfromthesoil
‐Compostreturnssmallquantitiesofnutrientstothesoil.‐this,combinedwithmorefriendlysoilpH,reducestheneedforadditionalfertilizers
24
‐Thegoodmicroorganismsassociatedwithcompostcreateahealthysoilthatcankeepsoil‐bornepathogens(badbacteriaandfungi)incheck.
…andthat’sthedirtoncompost!
Additional Resources
City of Chandler
Solid Waste & Recycling chandleraz.gov/residents/recycling-and-trashEmail: [email protected]# 480-782-3510
Water Conservationchandleraz.gov/waterEmail: [email protected]# 480-782-3580
Town of Queen Creek
Solid Waste & Recycling QueenCreek.org/Department/Trash-RecyclingPh# 480-358-3450
Water ConservationQueenCreek.org/ReducetheUseEmail: [email protected]# 480-358-3455