composting.ppt ooooooooooooooooooooo;;;;;

evs

1. It’s Recycling…
Naturally
1

2. What is composting?
Grass clippings
Food scraps
Leaves
Using the natural process of decay to
change organic wastes into a valuable
humus-like material called compost
Compost
2

3. Composting -
Speeding up the natural decay process
A compost pileor bin
allows you to control
•Air (oxygen)
•Water
•Food, and
•Temperature
By managing these factors you can speed up
the otherwise slow natural decay process
3

4. Why compost yard and kitchen wastes?
•PA’s goal is to recycle 35% of
municipal waste –composting helps!
•National Composting Council
estimates the average U.S. household
generates 650 lb of compostables
every year.
4

5. •Limited landfill space should be
reserved for materials that cannot be
recycled or composted
•Garbage handling is the 4
th
largest
expense for many cities.
Composting can reduce those costs
•34% of landfilled waste in PA is food
and another 30% is paper.
5

6. Paper products
32.7%
(54)
Metals
8.2%
Glass
5.3%
Plastic
12.1%
Other
16.4%
Food
12.5%
(2.6)
Yard
12.8%
(64) 1998 U.S. Municipal Solid Waste
Generation
2007 Municipal Solid Waste
Production in the U.S.
Total = 254 million tons/yr
(4.6 lb/person/day)
Backyard composting
can increase recycling
of yard and food
wastes.
Percent of category
that was recycled
The overall recycling
rate was 33% in 2007
6

7. What do you need to make
compost?
•Decomposers–Your
composting work crew.
These are the microbes
(mainly bacteria and fungi)
that do all the work for you.
•Food for the decomposers
The organic materials to be
composted
•The right amount of air,
water, and warmth to keep
the work crew happy
7

8. Where do the decomposers
come from?
If you build it,
they will come…
•Soil
•Leaves
•Food scraps
•Manure, and
•Finished compost
Each of these will add
microorganisms
to the compost pile
8

9. One teaspoon of good garden soil to
which compost has been added contains
•100 million bacteria
•800 feet of fungal threads
9

10. Numerous additives and starters are available but are
not needed for good or rapid composting
10

11. What is the best food for your
decomposers?
All organic materials will compost, but not all should be
added to a backyard compost pile
Organic wastes that shouldbe composted include:
Garden
trimmings
Kitchen scraps
Also
•Used potting soil
•Manure
•Sawdust
•Hair
Grass
clippings
Leaves
11

12. Materials to avoid…
Avoid organic materials that could cause
problems during or after composting
•Oil, fat, grease, meat, fish or dairy products,
unwashed egg shells (tend to attract pests,
vermin)
•Hard to kill weeds (bindweed, quackgrass) and
weeds that have gone to seed (could infest garden
area when compost is used).
12

13. Materials to avoid…
Cat or dog waste
(attracts pests, could spread disease)
Diseased or insect ridden plants
(could infect or attack garden
plants when compost is used)
13

14. Materials to avoid…
•Lime (increases compost
pH and promotes
ammonia odor problems)
•Wood ash, add sparingly
to the pile (will add some
potash to compost but will
increase pH and ammonia
odor problems)
14

15. Is shredding necessary?
Have greater surface
area per unit volume
Allows microbes to
get at more of the
food
Smaller particles decompose faster
Chipping or
shredding coarse
materials (twigs,
stems) will speed
up the rate at which
they decompose
15

16. Is shredding necessary?
but…
Smaller particles will also decrease airflow
into the pile
–May lead to anaerobic conditions
–Pile may need to be turned more often
16

17. More about food for your
decomposers
Your compost workers will thrive if you give them a
balanced diet.
•Composting will be most rapid if the decomposers
are fed a mix of carbon rich and nitrogen rich
materials.
•Carbon rich organic wastes are known as
“browns”
•Nitrogen rich organic wastes are known as
“greens”
17

18. Leaves (30-80:1)
Straw (40-100:1)
Paper (150-200:1)
Sawdust (100-500:1)
Animal bedding
mixed with manure
(30-80:1)
High carbon materials such as
18

19. Vegetable scraps (12-20:1)
Coffee grounds (20:1)
Grass clippings (12-25:1)
Manure
–Cow (20:1)
–Horse (25:1)
–Poultry (10:1), with litter
(13-18:1)
–Hog (5-7:1)
High nitrogen materials such as
19

20. Browns
•Decay very slowly
•Coarse browns can keep
pile aerated
•Tend to accumulate in the
fall
•Tie up nitrogen in soil if
not fully composted
•May need to stockpile
until can mix with greens
Greens
•Decay rapidly
•Poor aeration –may have
foul odors if composted
alone
•Tend to accumulate in
spring and summer
•Supply nitrogen for
composting
•Best composting if mixed
with browns
20

21. Aerobic composting
•Composting with
decomposers that need
air (oxygen)
•The fastest way to
make high quality
compost
•Produces no foul odors
•Aerobic decomposers
produce heat
21

22. Aerobic composting and
temperature
•A thermometer is a nice tool but is not essential
for good composting
•Active composting occurs in the temperature
range of 55
o
F to 155
o
F
•Pile temperature may
increase above 140
o
F but
this is too hot for most
bacteria and decomposition
will slow until temperature
decreases again.
55 140
155
22

23. Does my compost pile have to get
hot?
•Good compost can be made in a pile that never
gets hot, but…
–Decay will be slower and it will take longer to make
compost
–Not enough air, to little or too much water, or too
many browns in the mix could all keep a pile from
heating.
•High pile temperature provides the benefits of
–The most rapid composting
–Killing pathogenic (disease causing) organisms
–Killing weed seeds
23

24. Getting air to your
decomposers
Hot air
low
O
2
cool
air
O
2
rich
O
2
Warm air rising
through the pile
draws fresh air
in from bottom
and sides
Wind can
stimulate
aeration
24

25. Pile aeration
Depends upon adequate porosity
•Porosity is the air filled space between particles
•“Browns” help to maintain good porosity in the pile
•A compacted pile has lost porosity, can be increased
by turning
•Aeration can be
increased by inserting
sticks, cornstalks, or
perforated pipes into
or under the pile
25

26. Pile aeration
Getting air to your work force
•Turning the pile mixes
fresh air into the pile
•Turning tools can make
the job easier
26

27. Water
•Pile water content should
be at 40-60%
•As wet as a squeezed out
sponge
•If too dry, add water as
you turn the pile
•If too wet, add browns
and/or turn the pile
•Rapid decomposition requires optimum water content
•If too dry, bacterial activity will slow or cease
•If too wet, loss of air in the pile will lead to anaerobic conditions
27

28. Taking care of your compost
pile
•The most rapid composting is achieved by
–Adding mixed browns + greens
–Regularly turning (mixing) the compost pile
–Controlling water content
•When pile no longer heats after mixing, allow it to
cure (stand without mixing) for at least 4 weeks
before using the compost
28

29. Making compost the fast way
(Instructions for active composters)
•Turn the pile every 5 to 7 days,
–move outer material to the pile center
–add water if needed
•During the first few weeks temp should
reach 140
o
F
•After about 4 weeks less heat will be
produced and compost will maintain
lower temp (100
o
F)
29

30. Making compost the fast way
(Instructions for active composters)
•After about 4 more weeks the pile will no
longer heat after turning and volume will
be about one third of original.
•Allow the pile to cure (stand without
turning) for 4 more weeks before using
the compost
30

31. When is compost finished?
Compost is mature when
•The color is dark brown
•It is crumbly, loose,
and humus-like
•It has an earthy smell
•It contains no readily
recognizable feedstock
•The pile has shrunk to
about 1/3 of its original volume
31

32. Simple tests for finished
compost
Bag test: sealing compost in
a plastic bag for several days
should produce no foul odor
Germination test: will seeds
germinate in the compost?
(good test to use if compost will
be part of a potting mix)
32

33. Where should I put my
compost pile?
•Shaded area will help
prevent drying out in
summer
•Avoid areas that will
interfere with lawn and
garden activities
•Adequate work area
around the pile
•Area for storage
•Water available
33

34. Considerations for locating
the compost pile
•Good drainage
•Away from any wells
•Near where finished compost will be used
•Be a good neighbor
–Make your composting area attractive, or
–Keep it out of your neighbors’ view
34

35. Bin/pile construction
•Ideal size is approximately a 3 foot
cube
–Promotes sufficient aeration
–Retains sufficient heat to maintain warm
temps
–Piles larger than 5 x 5 x 5 feet are
difficult to turn and tend to become
anaerobic in the center
35

36. Manufactured bins
36

37. The Earth Machine Bin
37

38. Compost Troubleshooting
Odors
Odors are one of the most frequent but easily avoidable
composting problems.
•Rotten odor
–Putrid smell or rotten egg smell
–Usually results from anaerobic conditions
–Excess moisture, compaction
–Turn pile, add dry porous material (browns), cover kitchen
scraps
•Ammonia odor
–Too much nitrogen (greens)
–Add high carbon material (browns), turn pile
38

39. Compost Troubleshooting
Temperature
Low pile temperature
•Pile too small, cold weather, too dry, poor aeration, or
lacks nitrogen
•Make pile bigger or insulate sides, add water, turn the
pile, add greens or manure
High pile temperature
•Pile too large, insufficient ventilation
•Reduce pile size, turn
39

40. Compost Troubleshooting
Pests: raccoons, rats, insects
•Presence of meat scraps or fatty food waste,
rotten odors
•Remove meats and fatty foods, cover with
sawdust or leaves, turn the pile
•Compost in an animal-proof bin
–Covered bin, trash can bin, cone bin, or barrel
bin
–Wire mesh sides and floor (1/4 –1/2 in
openings)
•Use worm composting (vermicomposting)
for food scraps
40

41. Benefits of compost
Promotes soil health
•Supplies organic
matter to soil
•Attracts earthworms
•Stimulates beneficial
soil microorganisms
•Increases soil water
holding capacity
•Increases soil nutrient
retention
41

42. Benefits of compost
Promotes soil health
•Improves soil tilth and friability
•Improves soil drainage
•Loosens heavy clay soils
•Suppresses soil-borne plant pathogens
(diseases)
42

43. Benefits of compost
Plant nutrients
Compost is nota fertilizer,
but does contain plant
nutrients
•Nitrogen and phosphorus
are mostly in organic
forms
–Released slowly to plants
–Not readily leached from the
topsoil
•Compost contains many
trace nutrients that are
essential for plant growth
43

44. Using finished compost
•Soil amendment
–Be sure that compost is mature, has an earthy smell
(no ammonia or rotten smell), looks dark and
crumbly with no recognizable feedstock
–Compost improves soil health when mixed in the top
4 to 6 inches (work in no more than a 2” layer of
compost)
•Will improve water and nutrient retention of sandy soils
•Will loosen compacted clay soils and make them more
friable
44

45. Using finished compost
•Surface mulchin the
garden/landscape
–Maximum 3” depth
–Start 3-4” from trunk
–Extend out to dripline
•Mulch provides
–Protection from temp
extremes
–Slows moisture loss
from soil
–Provides some slow
release nutrients
45

46. Using finished compost
•Lawn topdressing
–Be sure compost is very mature to avoid harming the lawn
–Use fine (screened) compost, ¼” depth raked over lawn
–Best if lawn is cored before applying compost
–Retains moisture, supplies slow release nutrients,
prevents soil compaction
•Potting mix
–Compost must be very mature to avoid injury to plants
–Use fine textured compost
–Mix no more than 1/3 compost by volume
46

47. Presentation by
Rick Stehouwer, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Toni Bilik, State Master Gardener Coordinator
Tom Becker, York County Cooperative Extension
George Hurd, Franklin County Cooperative Extension
Greg Burns, Elk County Cooperative Extension
Earle Robbins, Tioga County Cooperative Extension
Jim Cowden, Warren County Cooperative Extension
Kathleen Geist, Montgomery County Cooperative Extension
Patti Peck-Olenick, PA DEP Composting Coordinator
47

48. Manure Management
Workshops
•March 18
th
and April 8
th
•9AM –1PM
•@ Curwensville Community Center
•Please register by talking to us today or calling
765-2629
•Refreshments and food will be provided
•For anyone that produces or uses manure or has
more than 5,000 sq ft of tillage (Ag E&S Plan)
48

49. Rotating Compost Barrel
Construction
49

50. Materials Needed
55 Gallon Barrel
5 foot metal
pole/fencepost
Treated
4 -2x4s 4ft long
2 -4x4s 4ft long
Handle/Rope
50

51. Materials Needed (cont.)
51
Furring strips
3 –10”
2 –3”
2 Corner Brackets
1x6x12” piece of
Hardwood for
mixing paddle
Hinges Hasp Lock
16 -3” screws

52. Recommended Tools
Drill Jigsaw Circular Saw
Hole Saw
Hammer
Measuring tape
Framing square
Flexible ruler
¾” and 1”
Drill Bits52

53. Drill Holes in barrel for Post
•Find the center of the
barrel on each end and
mark it
•Drill a hole slightly
larger than the
diameter of your metal
pole centered on each
mark
53
Step 1:

54. Drill Aeration Holes in Barrel
•Drill 15-20 holes with a
1 inch bit on each side
of the barrel
•Should have 30-40
holes for aeration when
finished
54
Step 2:

55. Attach mixing paddle
•Inside the
barrel screw
the corner
brackets into
the plastic
•To attach paddle to the
barrel screws will have
to go trough barrel into
(1) 10” furring stripe on
the outside of barrel.
55
•Attach mixing
paddle to
corner
brackets
using screws
Step 3:

56. Drill Holes in 4x4 for post
•Measure 6” down on
both 4x4 posts, and
mark the center of each
post
•On the mark drill a hole
slightly larger than the
diameter of your metal
pole (do this on both
4x4s)
56
Step 4:

57. Assemble Stand
•Stand 4x4s up with
holes at the top and
place a 2x4 on each
side
•Use screws to secure
2x4s to the 4x4s
57
Step 5:

58. Assemble Stand Part 2
•Find the middle of the
remaining 2x4s and
center them on the end
of the 4x4
perpendicular to the
other 2x4s
•Place one screw into
each of the 2x4 ends
and one into the 4x4
•Make sure you don’t hit
the screws going the
other direction
58
Step 5:

59. Place barrel on stand
•Slide post through
holes on barrel
•Put one end of post
through the 4x4, slide
post through until the
other end will slide into
the other 4x4
59
Step 6:

60. Drill Holes to cut out door
•Measure and draw a
12” x 12” section for
the door
•Drill a small hole in
each corner for the
jigsaw to get started
•Start the jigsaw in each
corner and cut out the
door
60
Step 7:

61. Attach door with hinges
•Drill a hole
through the
plastic on
your marks
61
•Hold the
hinges up to
the door and
mark where
the screws
will go
Step 8:

62. Attach door with hinges (cont.)
•Repeat process to
attach door to barrel
62
•Holding (1) 10” furring
strip underneath the
holes attach the hinge
with the screws
provided
Step 8:

63. Attach Hasp Lock
•Mark drill holes on the
handle side
•Drill pilot holes as
before
•Holding (1) 3” furring
strip underneath the
holes attach the top
part of the hasp with
the screws provided
•Repeat for the latch on
the barrel
63
Step 9:

64. Attach Handle
•Drill holes
through door
•Thread rope
through holes
•Tie a knot in
both ends of
the rope to
achieve a
handle of your
desired length
64
•Completed door
with handle and
hasp attached
Step 10:

65. Enjoy your finished rotating
composting barrel
65

66. Thank you to our Sponsors!
•Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Education Grants Program
•Bee Kind Winery
•Hoyt Plumbing and Heating
66