Composting B A S I C S CO M POST BENEFITS ▼ “Composting” means Compost makes good mulch. It can also be mixed into the controlled garden and potting soils. decomposition Nutrients. Compost contains the full spectrum of essential (decay) of organic plant nutrients. However, testing the nutrient levels in your soil material such as yard can be helpful in determining what supplements your landscape trimmings, kitchen requires. Ask your AgriLife county extension agent for more information. scraps, wood ▼ Compost contains micronu trients such as iron and shavings, cardboard, manganese that are often absent in synthetic fertilizers. and paper. ▼ Compost releases its nutrients slowly, over several months ▼ “Compost” is the or years. humus-rich material ▼ Soil enriched with compost retains fertilizers better than lifeless soil does. Less fertilizer runs off to pollute that results from waterways. composting. ▼ Compost balances both acid and alkaline soils, bringing ▼ Compost contributes pH levels into the optimum range for nutrient availability. nutrients and Soil Structure. Compost helps bind clusters of soil beneficial life to the particles (aggregates). Soil rich in aggregates is full of tiny air soil, improves soil channels and pores that hold air, moisture, and nutrients like a sponge. structure, and helps ▼ Compost helps sandy soil retain water and nutrients that prevent runoff that would normally wash right through the sand. can pollute rivers ▼ Compost breaks up tightly bound particles in clay or silt and lakes. soil, allowing roots to spread, water to drain, and air to ▼ Compost helps the penetrate. ▼ soil absorb and Compost alters the texture and structure of all soils, increasing their resistance to erosion. retain nutrients ▼ Compost particles attract and hold nutrients strongly and moisture, and enough to prevent them from washing out, but loosely protects plants from enough so that plant roots can take them up as needed. diseases and pests. ▼ Compost makes any soil easier to work and cultivate. Better moisture Beneficial Soil Life. Compost introduces and feeds diverse retention means less life in the soil, including bacteria, insects, worms, and more, which support vigorous plant growth. watering, allowing ▼ Compost bacteria break down mulch and plant debris into you to conserve plant-available nutrients. Some soil bacteria also convert water and reduce nitrogen from the air into a plant-available nutrient. runoff pollution. ▼ Beneficial insects, worms, and other organisms are plentiful in compost-enriched soil; they burrow through the soil, keeping it loose and well aerated. ▼ Compost suppresses diseases and harmful pests that overrun poor, lifeless soil. Water Quality. In the summer, as much as half of urban water usage goes for the irrigation of lawns and landscaped areas. Compost increases soil’s ability to retain water and decreases runoff. Runoff pollutes water by carrying soil, fertilizers, and pesticides to nearby streams. ▼ Compost promotes healthy root growth, which decreases runoff. ▼ Compost can reduce or elimi nate your use of synthetic fertilizers. ▼ Compost reduces the need for chemical pesticides be- cause it contains beneficial microorganisms that protect your plants from diseases and pests. 4 Two Compost Cool and ♦ chipper-shredder Easy Compost (optional, for composting Recipes With this low-mainte- thick woody materials) There are two approaches nance, “continuous feed” ♦ compost bin (optional) to composting: approach, compost is ready ♦ tarp, burlap, or black plas- ♦ Cool and Easy Compost- in six months to two years. tic cover (optional) ing is adding materials This practice does not de- gradually to a bin or pile stroy weed seeds, runners, Directions: and allowing them to or plant diseases. compost slowly with little 1. Set compost bin or pile maintenance. Ingredients: where water does not puddle when it rains, ♦ Hot and Fast Compost- ♦ mixed yard trimmings preferably a shaded spot ing is building and actively as available, including near a water source. mixing a pile to produce grass clippings, flowers disease-killing tempera- 2. Put yard trimmings in bin and stalks, leaves, weeds tures and can yield fin- or pile as they are col- without seeds or spread- ished compost in three to lected. ing roots, twigs, and small four months. 3. Chop or shred woody branches The following are sample trimmings. ♦ vegetable and fruit scraps, “recipes.” There is no need 4. When adding grass clip- and coffee grounds to follow them exactly. pings and green garden ♦ rainwater and additional There are many different wastes to the pile, mix water as needed “right” ways to them into the leaves compost. and other yard materials Tools: already in the pile. ♦ pitchfork 5. Bury kitchen scraps under ♦ square-point shovel or 10 inches of yard trim- machete mings or finished com- post. ♦ water hose with spray head 6. Moisten dry materials as they are added. 7. Optional: Cover top of compost with tarp or sheet plastic to keep it moist. 8. When material at the bot- tom looks like dark, rich soil, you have compost. When convenient, move the undecomposed ma- terials into a new pile or bin, and harvest and use the compost. ❃ 5 Hot and Tools: with shovel or machete. Chip or shred woody trim- Fast Compost ♦ pitchfork This approach requires mings. ♦ square-point shovel or more maintenance but pro- 3. Cover half of the 4-foot by machete (optional) duces compost in batches 8-foot area with a 6-inch ♦ rotary lawnmower or that are ready in one to layer of “brown” materi- chipper-shredder (when four months. (A minimum als. composting woody mate- “batch” is enough to fill a 4. Add a 3-inch layer of rial or dry leaves) plastic bin or to build a pile fresh “green” materials, ♦ at least 3 feet high and 3 feet water hose with spray and add a dash of soil or in diameter.) This practice head finished compost. ♦ destroys most plant diseases, compost bin (optional) 5. Mix this layer lightly into weeds, and weed seeds. ♦ tarp, burlap, or black plas- the layer below it with a tic for covering hoe or hand cultivator. Ingredients: the pile and/or mixing 6. Top with a 3-inch layer of materials (optional) ♦ three to four or more “brown” materials; add ♦ compost thermometer wheelbarrows of “green” water until moist. (optional) yard materials—such as 7. Repeat steps four through grass clippings and garden six until the pile is at least debris Directions: 3-feet high. Note: The ♦ three to four or more 1. Pick a 4-foot by 8-foot pile should be completely wheelbarrows of “brown” area where water does not covered with 4 inches or materials—such as leaves, puddle when it rains, pref- more of brown materials. dry weeds, brush, and erably a shaded spot Food materials should be woody prunings near a water source. mixed in and buried deep in the pile. ♦ vegetable and fruit scraps, 2. Chop up the gathered and coffee grounds stalks and garden plants 8. Turn the pile over every (as available) one to two weeks with a ♦ water pitchfork or shovel until the pile does not reheat much after turning. With each turning, move dry materials from the edges into the middle of the new pile, and add water as needed. If the pile is not heating, con- sult Table 2 at the end of the “Science of Composting” section for troubleshoot- ing tips. 9. Let the pile cure for two weeks before using. If materials are not composted (do not look and smell like dark, rich soil), consult Table 2 for troubleshooting tips. ❃ 6 The Science of chips and shavings. (Table B A S I C S 3 on pages 10-11 gives Composting means creating an Composting carbon-nitrogen character- environment where things can Composting involves istics of common compost decay without creating nuisance a complex “food chain” ingredients.) odors or attracting pests. There of bacteria, fungi, mites, ♦ A compost pile made up are two main causes of nuisance worms, beetles, and other only of “brown” materials odors in composting: too much beneficial organisms that breaks down slowly be- nitrogen or not enough oxygen. consume organic materials cause it does not contain ▼ Ammonia odors are caused and produce humus. The enough nitrogen to sup- by too much nitrogen from composting process is mostly port a large population of fresh or “green” materials like accomplished by bacteria, compost organisms. food scraps and green grass especially when it is pro- ♦ A compost pile with too clippings. Use “brown” ma- ceeding rapidly at a high much “green” material terials like dry grass or dead temperature. Bacteria quickly begins to harbor pests and leaves for more than half of populate any good com- to lose its nitrogen in an the material in your pile. Mix posting environment. Other ammonia form, which cre- your “green” materials into organisms become active as ates odor problems. the “brown” materials so conditions become favorable ♦ A good rule of thumb is there are no big pockets of to them. All you have to do to mix equal amounts of “green” material left. is maintain the conditions “green” and “brown” ma- that allow these organisms ▼ “Rotten” odors are caused by terials by weight, or about to thrive in your pile or bin low oxygen levels where your 3 parts of “brown” materi- until the job is done. The material is water-soaked and als to one part of “green” proper environment for them compacted. Keep your pile materials by volume. is a mass of organic materi- full of air by mixing in lots of ♦ Add green and brown ma- als that contains a balanced coarse materials or by remix- terials in thin layers; then diet of carbon and nitrogen, ing and turning the pile often. mix them. and adequate moisture and Your compost should stay ♦ Where it is critical to oxygen.