Composting 101
Pay Dirt
• “Composting” means the controlled
decomposition (decay) of organic material
such as yard trimmings, kitchen scraps,
wood shavings, cardboard, and paper.
Why Compost?
• Compost allows the texture of the soil to work like a sponge,
helping all soils retain moisture at the plants' root level longer.
This lowers the amount of watering the gardener has to supply.
• Compost provides a broad spectrum of nutrients for plants. It
contains virtually every chemical a plant needs to grow. Moreover,
gardeners can use compost without fear of "burning" their plants
through an overdose of fertilizers.
• Compost is a good environmental response to human trash
creation. Composting uses large amounts of organic "waste" that
would ordinarily go to a landfill and converts it to an economically
viable and environmentally sound way to feed the garden.
• Healthy garden soil is filled with microorganisms and
macroorganisms that make nutrients available to plant roots and
help protect plants from pathogens. Compost increases life in the
soil.
How to Use Compost?
• Soil Amendment
– Add to flower and vegetable beds or pots
• Lawn Top-Dressing
– 1-3 inches raked in
• Compost Tea
– Shovel full in 5-gallon bucket with water for a
few days
Ingredients for Compost Pile:
• Organic Matter (yard waste, kitchen
scraps)
• Microrganisms (naturally occurring in soil)
• Nitrogen (naturally occurring in green
waste, add fertilizer 10-10-10)
• Carbon (naturally occurring in brown
waste)
• Water (needs monitoring)
• Oxygen (proper ventilation)
Process of decomposition
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Tools needed for composting
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One Bin
System
Types of
composters
available on
the market
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Homemade composting options:
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Find the composter that will work
for you
Choose a Site
Make a pile
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Recipe
Activators
• You can advance the ability of the pile to
“heat-up”
• High in nitrogen, some are enzyme-acting
• Common Activators”
– Alfalfa meal, bloodmeal, bonemeal, chicken or
rabbit manure, coffee grounds, or commercial
brand mixes
• A little goes a long way!
Turn your compost
• Turn your compost pile every week or two
with a pitchfork to distribute air and
moisture.
• Move the dry materials from the edges into
the middle of the pile.
• Speeds up the process, eliminates odors
Turning compost
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What can be put into the compost pile:
•Coffee grounds
•Egg shells
•Flower deadheads
•Fruit peels and rinds
•Grass
•Leaves
•Most weeds
•Newspaper
•Straw
•Tea bags
•Wood ash
•Vegetable scraps
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Leave out ~ What not to compost
• Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
– Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
• Coal or charcoal ash
– Might contain substances harmful to plants
• Dairy products (e.g., butter, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
– Creates odor problems and attracts pests such as
rodents and flies
• Diseased or insect-ridden plants
– Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred
back to other plants
• Fats, grease, lard, or oils
– Create odor problems and attract pests such as
rodents and flies
• Meat or fish bones and scraps
– Creates odor problems and attracts pests such as
rodents and flies
• Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)
– Might contain parasites, harmful bacteria, germs,
pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
• Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides
– Kills beneficial composting organisms
Compost Pile Troubleshooting
• It stinks! Most likely too much moisture which diminishes
oxygen needed to break down the material.
– Add dry material such as leaves or shredded paper
• Material breaking down too slowly.
– Add water if pile is too dry or add kitchen scraps and
grass clippings
• Pile has too many bugs. Some bugs are beneficial.
– If too many, cover pile with soil or turn more
frequently. Herbs can be added to deter flies
• “City finds evidence of rats at 30 percent
of Clintonville properties”
– Thursday, December 19, 2013
• When done correctly your
compost should not attract
rodents
Using
Compost
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4 Rules of Composting
• Quality Materials
• Adequate Volume of Pile
• Consistent Moisture
• Good Air Circulation
Vermiculture
Our friends
Garbage to some…….But food for worms.
This is good stuff for your gardens.
There are many types of
worm hotels
Components of a vermiculture hotel
A vermiculture hotel consists of four main components:
• Container – houses the bedding and worm population so
they can consume organic materials loaded into the unit.
The container also excludes pests and protects worms
from both the elements and predators.
• Worm population – necessary to convert the compostable
organic materials into vermicast that can be used as a soil
conditioner.
• Bedding – a deep layer of mature vermicast is
recommended as a medium for worms to live in. A greater
mass of bedding reduces the variation in bedding
temperature and moisture.
• Source of food and moisture for the worms – this is
applied to the surface of the bedding.
How It Works:
• Processing of compostable
organic materials via vermiculture
is an aerobic (high oxygen)
process performed by worms and
microorganisms.
• When organic materials are loaded
into a vermiculture unit, bacteria,
fungi and other microorganisms
start to decompose or ‘eat’ them.
How It Works:
• The worm population works with these
microscopic organisms. Worms scavenge and
eat the decomposing products (such as
sugars, proteins and simple carbohydrates)
released by the microorganisms and even eat
the microorganisms as well!
• Consequently, a well managed vermiculture
unit involves the maintenance of conditions
that are ideal for the survival and growth of
microorganisms and worms.
Air vents
Bedding area
Leach area, drain worm cast off
• Air vents – allows air to flow into the unit
• Raised container – houses all worms,
feedstock and bedding.
Important: keeping your worm hotel
healthy and clean!!
Important
• Oxygen must be present for worms to survive.
Keep bedding clean.
• Moisture is important
• Have enough food for the amount of worms you
have in your hotel.
• Warm condition for worms (55-85 degrees).
• Place somewhere safe.
• Check regularly to see that no pest or intruder
has made its way into your hotel.
• Wash your hands when handling your worms
Advantages
• Promotes faster growth of
plants
• Increases crop yield
• Reduces soil erosion
• Lessens wasteland formation
• Produces crops with a better
taste without toxic residues
DIY- Keep in Mind
Red Wigglers are Composters
The red wiggler or Eisenia fetida, another
European import, is the primary species
sold for composting purposes. Unlike the
night crawler, the red wiggler thrives in
organic waste, lives close to the surface,
and can’t survive temperatures below 50
degrees or above 85.
Worms LOVE Worms HATE
Breads & Grains
Dairy Products
Cereal
Fats
Coffee grounds &
Meat
filter
Feces
Fruits
Oils
Tea bags
Vegetables
Troubleshooting
Problem Probable Cause Solution
Too wet Add more bedding
Worms are dying or trying to escape Too dry Moisten bedding
Bedding is used up Harvest your bin
Not enough air Drill more ventilation holes
Bin stinks! Too much food Do not feed for 1-2 weeks
Too wet Add more bedding
Fruit Flies Exposed food Bury food in bedding
Use the worms…..
• Make worm tea
• Taking compostable material and adding it
directly into your garden or compost. Don’t
scoop out your worms.
• Sell at your local farm market
Upcoming Classes
• Season Extension, September 30, 5:30-7pm
• Put Your Garden to Bed, October 7, 5:30-7pm
• Scary Terrarium, October 10, 11am-12:30pm
• Selecting & Planting Spring Blooming Bulbs,
October 17, 10am-Noon
• Start a Community Garden, November 12, 5:30-
7pm
*See the website for more info!
Compost Questions?
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Sources
• The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy
Methods for Every Gardener.
Grace Gershuny
• Let it rot!: The Gardener's Guide to
Composting Stu Campbell
• Compost This Book, Tom Christopher
and Marty Asher
