good

1. Composting:
the rotten truth
Anne Kolaczyk
Purdue University Master Gardener
©2006Anne Kolaczyk

2. Composting
Composting is the transformation of
organic material (plant matter) through
decomposition into a soil-like material
called compost.
Invertebrates (insects and earthworms),
and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi)
help in this transformation.

3. Kinds
 Bin composting
 Tumbler composting
 Sunken pail composting
 Sheet composting
 Anaerobic composting
 Vermicomposting

4. Why do it
 Environmentally responsible
 Keeps biodegradable waste out of
landfills and sewage plants
 Alternative to burning
 Gives you a vibrant garden
without chemical fertilizers
 Saves money
 Learning tool

5. What it involves
 Adding ingredients
 Maintaining proper temperature
 Turning
 Maintaining moisture
 Harvesting

6. Bin composting
“backyard composting”

7. Composting bins
 Ready made
 Homemade
 Bin-less pile

8. Ready made
 Expensive
 Limited capacity
 Good if space is an
issue

9. Homemade
 Three bins are best
 One to fill
 One that’s “cooking”
 One to turn others into or to draw from

10. Bin-less pile
 Just a pile with no partitions
 Hard to maintain sufficient depth to
achieve high enough temperatures
 Easy and nothing to build
 Moveable

11. What you can compost
 Yard waste
 Kitchen scraps
 Newspaper
 Cardboard

12. What not to compost
 Meat scraps
 Bones
 Dairy products
 Pet waste
 Diseased plants
 Invasive weeds

13. C:N ratio
 Should be 30 parts carbon to 1 part
nitrogen by weight
 Grass Clippings 19:1
 Leaves 40:1
 Equal weight of each would give you
approximately 30:1 ratio for pile

14. What’s what
 Brown (Carbon)
 Leaves
 Dirt
 Grocery bags
 Bird seed hulls
 Wood chips
 Green (Nitrogen)
 Grass clippings
 Plant clippings
 Fertilizer
 Coffee grounds

15. C:N ratio, my take
Whatever!

16. Care of compost
 Passive
 Let sit
 Takes months and months
 Active
 Turn often
 Keep moist (H2O 40-60% of weight)
 Have proper ratio of C:N (30:1)
 2-6 weeks (depending on ingredients)

17. Let’s get real
Concerns Solutions
I don’t have room Use commercial bin
It takes too long  Maintain proper conditions
 Cut up large pieces
It smells Not if you maintain C:N ratio
Temps too low to kill
diseases, fungi, weed seeds
Use local community composting
facility for problem pieces,
compost the rest
Attracts animals Bury food waste in center

18. Uses
 Early stages as mulch
 Keeps weeds from growing
 Helps retain moisture
 Beneficial minerals go into soil
 Later stages for soil amending
 Enriches soil
 Helps with moisture retention
 Removes/reduces need for chemical
fertilizers that leach into our ground water

19. What method is right for me???
 How much space do I have?
 Is it indoor or outdoor or both?
 What do I want to compost?
 How much waste do I have a week?
 How and where do I want to use the compost?
 How much time can I spend on it a week?
 What’s my ewww! factor?
 How committed am I to composting?

20. Resources
 Purdue Extension office
 Library
 Internet

21. Anaerobic
Vermi
Sheet
Pail
Tumbler
Bin
composting
Just do it!