1. Home Composting A project of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners

2. What is compost? Stable humus material Stable humus material Produced when organic matter is broken down by bacteria and fungi Produced when organic matter is broken down by bacteria and fungi Valuable soil amendment Valuable soil amendment Pleasant smelling, “black gold” Pleasant smelling, “black gold” Nature’s way of recycling! Nature’s way of recycling!

3. All organic matter will decompose in due time. (Gardeners just like to help it along…)

4. Why you should compost Improves tilth of soil Improves tilth of soil Protects and promotes health of your soil & plants Protects and promotes health of your soil & plants May reduce need for fertilizers May reduce need for fertilizers Saves you $$$ on soil amendments Saves you $$$ on soil amendments Keeps yard waste out of the landfill Keeps yard waste out of the landfill

5. What should you compost? From your yard Leaves Leaves Grass clippings Grass clippings Weeds (pest and disease-free, no seeds) Weeds (pest and disease-free, no seeds) Trimmings and pulled annuals (see above) Trimmings and pulled annuals (see above) Small diameter twigs Small diameter twigs

6. What might you compost? From your kitchen Eggshells Eggshells Fruit and vegetable peelings Fruit and vegetable peelings Halloween pumpkins Halloween pumpkins Crushed crab or lobster shells Crushed crab or lobster shells Flower arrangements Flower arrangements

7. What else can you compost? From your neighborhood businesses Coffee grounds Coffee grounds Tea bags Tea bags Hops and other brewery waste Hops and other brewery waste Horse manure and bedding Horse manure and bedding

8. What you should never compost Noxious weeds (poison ivy, invasive plants…) Noxious weeds (poison ivy, invasive plants…) Dog and cat feces, or cat litter Dog and cat feces, or cat litter Large diameter woody branches Large diameter woody branches “Glossy” leaves “Glossy” leavesAlso: Insect-ridden plants Insect-ridden plants Plants that have gone to seed Plants that have gone to seed Dairy products, meat, oils, or grease Dairy products, meat, oils, or grease

9. Oh, RATS! If you have a local “rodent problem”, don’t put food scraps in your compost at all If you have a local “rodent problem”, don’t put food scraps in your compost at all There’s no such thing as a rat-proof bin! There’s no such thing as a rat-proof bin!

10. How do you make compost? To speed up the natural decomposition of organic matter, you can regulate: 1. Moisture 2. Temperature 3. Air 4. Mix of ingredients

11. Moisture Water, in the right quantity, is needed for breakdown to occur Water, in the right quantity, is needed for breakdown to occur Most sources describe the right moisture level as damp, like a wrung-out sponge Most sources describe the right moisture level as damp, like a wrung-out sponge Leave compost open to the rain Leave compost open to the rain Consider adding waste water, if necessary from Consider adding waste water, if necessary from a birdbath a birdbath an aquarium or pond an aquarium or pond pot used to steam or boil vegetables pot used to steam or boil vegetables

12. Temperature “Hot” piles are simply piles with high metabolic activity (= faster breakdown) “Hot” piles are simply piles with high metabolic activity (= faster breakdown) “Cold” piles will do the job, just more slowly “Cold” piles will do the job, just more slowly

13. To maintain a “hot” pile Pile must be > 27 cubic feet and 27 cubic feet and < 125 cubic feet, a.k.a. a pile 3-5 feet high, wide and deep (ideal is approx. 4’x4’x4’) For best results, shred materials to increase surface area for microbes to work For best results, shred materials to increase surface area for microbes to work Turn the pile – inside to outside – every two weeks or when the temp reaches 130-140 degrees Turn the pile – inside to outside – every two weeks or when the temp reaches 130-140 degrees

14. Air Anaerobic conditions may result from Anaerobic conditions may result from Tightly packed material, like grass clippings Tightly packed material, like grass clippings Failure to turn pile Failure to turn pile No coarse material No coarse material Pile in close contact with ground (hint: a wooden pallet is worth it’s weight in compost!) Pile in close contact with ground (hint: a wooden pallet is worth it’s weight in compost!) Microbes cannot survive under Microbes cannot survive under anaerobic conditions Too much moisture = too little air! Too much moisture = too little air!

15. Mix of ingredients To layer or not to layer… To layer or not to layer… Greens and Browns, does it matter? Greens and Browns, does it matter? Greens are nitrogen-rich materials Greens are nitrogen-rich materials Fresh grass clippings Fresh grass clippings Vegetable scraps Vegetable scraps Fresh hay, weeds and plant waste Fresh hay, weeds and plant waste Browns are carbon-rich materials Browns are carbon-rich materials Leaves Leaves Sawdust (from untreated wood) Sawdust (from untreated wood) Wood chips Wood chips Straw Straw

16. What you don’t need to make compost Special equipment Special equipment Bioactivators Bioactivators Worms Worms Soil Soil Lime Lime Yeast Yeast Finished compost Finished compost or Fertilizer! or Fertilizer!

17. What type of pile?

18. Troubleshooting I My pile smells like ammonia My pile smells like ammonia mix in dry browns mix in dry browns My pile smells like rotten eggs My pile smells like rotten eggs Aerate, add dry browns to pile if it is too wet Aerate, add dry browns to pile if it is too wet My pile isn’t heating up My pile isn’t heating up Check for proper moisture content, air spaces, Check for proper moisture content, air spaces, pile size, nitrogen (greens) My pile is TOO hot My pile is TOO hot Turn the pile Turn the pile

19. Troubleshooting II My pile is attracting rats My pile is attracting rats Don’t add food scraps, or bury them deeply Don’t add food scraps, or bury them deeply My pile isn’t active at all My pile isn’t active at all Check moisture throughout Check moisture throughout Add nitrogen (grass clippings, coffee grounds…) Add nitrogen (grass clippings, coffee grounds…) Shred material if possible Shred material if possible

20. Is it done yet??? Proper composting takes time! Proper composting takes time! Finished compost is earthy smelling, dark, and crumbly Finished compost is earthy smelling, dark, and crumbly Finished compost will stay at or near the air temperature Finished compost will stay at or near the air temperature Expect hot piles to take several months; cold piles will take a year or more Expect hot piles to take several months; cold piles will take a year or more

21. Using your compost Flower and vegetable gardens Flower and vegetable gardens Mix 3 to 4 inches of compost through entire bed before planting Mix 3 to 4 inches of compost through entire bed before planting Top dress established plants with several inches compost Top dress established plants with several inches compost Mulch Mulch To eliminate weeds, protect soil, and keep roots moist To eliminate weeds, protect soil, and keep roots moist Seeding new lawns Seeding new lawns Till in 4 inches of compost Till in 4 inches of compost Enriching established lawns Enriching established lawns Rake an inch or so of compost over lawn in fall Rake an inch or so of compost over lawn in fall

22. Your soil thanks you for coming! Prepared by Master Gardeners Mary Jane Ross and Sue Williams, 2005