Presented by Cynthia Warne Program Coordinator WSU Master Gardeners of Clallam County

The goal of the Master Composter Program in Clallam County is to educate the public about the importance and methods of diverting yard debris and organic kitchen scraps from the waste stream and to train volunteers to provide research-based composting information to the community.

We can trace the beginnings of the program to the passage of the Waste Not Washington Act of 1989. The act included a provision for a Solid Waste Management Plan primarily aimed at reducing yard waste. Seattle responded by banning yard waste from curbside garbage pick up and Howard Stenn and his associates at Seattle Tilth created the first Master Composter (MC) Program in Washington. We have adopted a version of that program here.

Master Composter/Recyclers provide community composting and recycling information to the public and report to the Program Coordinator at City of Port Angeles Recycling. Volunteers receive 12 hours of intensive training on home composting methods. After completing their training, volunteers are required to complete 18 hours of volunteer service within the first 12 months. Veteran volunteers are also required to work at least 18 hours each year to be considered active.

Soil is a mass of material that is comprised of air, water, minerals and organic matter.

Contrary to popular belief, healthy soil is made up of only 5%-10% organic material.

The mineral or inorganic component of soil is made up of varying sizes of particles of solid rock. The process of breaking down the rock to form these particles can take a couple hundred years or many thousands of years.

These particles of rock can range in size from the smallest particle (clay) to the largest particles (sand and small rocks).

Sand Sand particles can be seen with the naked eye and feel gritty and rough to the touch. In soil, sand and small rocks create pores and air spaces.

Silt Silt is very similar to sand, however the particle size is smaller. Sand and silt are inert and contribute little or no nutrients to the soil.

Clay Clays are newly formed crystals, re-formed from the soluble products of primary minerals Clay particles are so small, they can only be seen with an electron microscope

Clay particles are flat and mesh together. This is what makes clay sticky Clay is also negatively charged which attracts positively charged nutrients and binds them to the soil Clay works with humus to bind sand and silt together to create stable soil aggregates which determine soil texture

Soil textures in Clallam County vary widely Some areas formed by ancient river beds are very sandy and have trouble holding water Other areas are comprised of heavy clay or glacial till or flour and have too much water holding capacity

Sand, silt and clay cannot sustain plant life on their own These materials only form the skeleton of the soil and need humus to create what we know as soil

A brown or black complex variable material resulting from partial decomposition of plant or animal matter and forming the organic portion of soil Compost is man made humus

Compost can be made from: Leaves Grass Wood chips Weeds Kitchen Waste Paper Products.and so much more! Compost is a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.

Humus (compost) binds sand, silt and clay to form soil. Although the organic substances remaining in humus continue to decompose slowly, humus is very stable. Studies with radioactive carbon show that much of the humus in present-day North American soils is derived from plants that died before European colonization

One of the most important contributions humus makes is in altering soil texture and improving tilth. Well-aggregated soil is loose and easy to till, in other words, it is said to have good tilth. Good tilth creates pores or air spaces in soil that allows for movement of air and water in and out of the soil and allows the easy movement of plant roots and beneficial organisms such as earthworms.

Clay and humus act as a repository for plant nutrients, preventing rainwater from leaching them away Organisms in the soil break down the organic matter and release the nutrients for availability to plants

Cultivation of food and horticultural plants can deplete soil of valuable nutrients and degrade the composition of soil. Composting transforms organic "waste" products into a nutrient-rich soil amendment capable of improving depleted or disturbed soil environments. Application of compost to the land helps to amend and protect soils by supplying nutrients essential to plant growth.

Plants need at least 16 essential elements to grow Nitrogen, Phosphorous Potassium, Calcium Hydrogen, Oxygen Carbon, Magnesium Sulfur, Chlorine Iron, Boron Manganese, Zinc Copper and Molybdenum Organic matter in the soil is where these elements are stored

Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and are needed in the largest amounts and are considered macronutrients. The other elements, needed in smaller amounts, are considered micronutrients.

Plants rely on the organisms of the Soil Food Web, particularly fungi and bacteria, to convert vital nutrients to a plant-friendly form. This is a type of Symbiosis

Until the early part of the 20 th century, all fertilizers were organic Just before World War I two German scientists came up with the Haber-Bosch Process Ammonia could be chemically synthesized from hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen in the presence of a catalyst under high pressure.

Chemical fertilizers are often referred to as petroleum-based because petroleum and natural gas are used as feedstock to produce ammonia. Ammonia is produced by combining nitrogen extracted from the air with hydrogen from hydrocarbons such as natural gas. The further processing of ammonia produces straight nitrogen (N) fertilizers such as urea, ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate

The phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) usually associated with nitrogen in chemical fertilizers are mined In its unprocessed state, rock phosphate is not suitable for direct application, since the phosphorus (P) it contains is insoluble. To transform the phosphorus into a plant- available form and to obtain a more concentrated product, phosphate rock is processed using sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid and/or nitric acid.

Most potassium (K) is recovered from underground deposits of soluble minerals, in combination with either the chloride or sulphate ion Although the low-grade, unrefined material can be applied directly to plants, the minerals are normally purified, to remove salt and then it is concentrated into potassium chloride or potassium magnesium sulfate

Nutrient values (N-P-K) are expressed as total percentage of weight as packaged Organic fertilizers typically tend to have lower N-P-K values than chemical nutrients because they are not super concentrated during processing like processed fertilizers Liquid fertilizers have lower numbers than powdered or granulated fertilizers because they are already diluted with water.

N = Nitrogen 20-10-10 Nitrogen is the first major element responsible for the vegetative growth of plants above ground. With a good supply, plants grow sturdily and mature rapidly, with rich, dark green foliage.

P = Phosphorus 5-10-5 The second major element in plant nutrition, phosphorus is essential for healthy growth, strong roots, fruit and flower development, and greater resistance to disease.

K = Potassium (Potash)10-10-5 The third major plant nutrient, potassium oxide is essential for the development of strong plants. It helps plants to resist diseases, protects them from the cold and protects during dry weather by preventing excessive water loss.

A complete fertilizer is one that contains all three major nutrients N-P-K such as 20-10-10 An incomplete fertilizer will have less than three nutrients listed such as 0-10-2 or 45-0-0. It is common to see lawn fertilizers with very high N numbers and little or no P and K numbers Bulb and bloom fertilizers tend to have low N numbers, high P numbers and mid-range K numbers

Chemical fertilizers simply dump soluble inorganic chemicals into the soil. What the plant cannot immediately use is often washed away or lost to the atmosphere. Excess nitrogen in our streams and ground water reduces the quality of the water, and adversely affects fish, animals and humans.

Most chemical fertilizers do not provide the micronutrients plants need. Chemical fertilizers do nothing to improve the structure or tilth of the soil. Although chemical fertilizers provide a short-term fix that feeds the plant, only the slow process of decomposition and humus formation truly feeds the soil.

Compost feeds the soil Chemical fertilizers only feed the plant

As the organisms in the compost pile begin to go to work, they begin the decomposition process The waste products of these organisms change the nutrients in the pile into a useable form for the plant This process releases nutrients much more slowly and steadily than processed chemical fertilizers but in smaller quantities Plants accustomed to chemical fertilizers can be slow to respond to organic fertilizers

80% of our atmosphere is made up of nitrogen. Atmospheric nitrogen ( N 2 ) cannot be used by plants or animals until it is converted to other forms. Nitrogen in the atmosphere is made up of two nitrogen atoms chemically bonded Only certain bacteria, volcanic action and lightning can break that bond in nature.

Nitrogen fixers, actually live around or inside the roots of certain plants (mostly legumes) and convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium Other plants rely on the ammonifying and nitrifying soil bacteria. When the organisms of the Soil Food Web feed on organic plant and animal wastes containing nitrogen, they convert the nitrogen they consume into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), proteins and other complex organic compounds that they need to grow and reproduce.

They then excrete nitrogen containing manures. Ammonifying and nitrifying soil bacteria convert these organic nitrogen molecules into simple inorganic ammonium and nitrates that can be used by plants. Any nitrogen that is not used by the plants can bind the negatively charged clay and humus soil aggregates

Psychrophylic bacteria like it cold Mesophilic bacteria prefer temperatures of 70-90 degrees. Thermophilic bacteria like it really hot: 104 200 degrees!

Actinomycetes are a cross between bacteria and fungi. They take over as the pile begins to cool. Fungi and molds work together with actinomycetes Actinomycetes and most fungi are Mesophiles !

Bacteria reproduce very rapidly Under optimal conditions, in one hour 100 microbes divide to become 200, then 400, then 800, etc Every individual in this huge population gives off heat as it decomposes organic wastes. So. The pile gets hotter and hotter and hotter!

As the pile begins to cool, the Thermophiles are replaced by the Mesophiles Then the Mesophiles are replaced by the Psychrophiles. Lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce..are the secondary consumers that feed on the primary consumers in the pile.

Slugs, snails, millipedes, sow bugs and earthworms are invertebrates that break down organic material creating more surface area for the primary organisms to feed. The primaries are then consumed by secondary consumers such as springtails and mites.

Nematodes (microscopic worms), and springtails occur in enormous numbers in compost piles. A handful of decaying compost can contain millions of nematodes. Flatworms are carnivorous and live in water film within the compost structure. All these organisms continue the decomposition process and also feed on the primaries.

This group also includes: Protozoa: S elf propelled, single celled, organisms that feed on bacteria. Rotifers: Single cell organisms, usually found in water and feed on bacteria. Mites: Arachnid (8 legged, spider-like) insects that feed on fungi. Last but not least.Beetles that feed on fungi!

Pseudoscorpions: Rarely seen predator that feeds on insects. Centipedes, millipedes and ants and spiders: Most of these creatures function best at medium or mesophilic temperatures, so they will not be in the pile at all times. mesophilic

In the Pacific Northwest, the winters are relatively mild and wet, and the summers are dry. Locating the pile in an area that receives morning sun and afternoon shade and covering the pile during the rainy season is probably the best advice. Its also helpful to keep the pile covered in the summer to maintain moisture levels. Selecting a spot with good drainage will prevent the area around the compost bin from becoming a muddy mess in wet weather.

Ideally, we will always have hot, active compost piles. The reality is, most of us will have cold or passive compost piles or something in between the two. In order to kill most pathogens and weed seeds it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 135- 160 degrees fahrenheit for 6 hours a day for 3 days.

An ideal thermal pile will produce finished compost in as little as 4-6 weeks, whereas a "passive" pile may take a year or more to complete the degradation process. Thermal piles require more diligence and work, whereas passive piles require very little tending except for maintaining moisture levels and turning occasionally. Thermal piles require turning every three days for 9 days or until temperatures begin to drop

Hot compost piles are also called batch piles. Ingredients are mixed together all at once and then allowed to go through the heating process Cold compost piles are also called passive piles. Material is added slowly over time. Passive compost piles dont get hot. Adding large quantities of material to a cold compost pile may heat up an area of the pile, but it wont sustain heat producing organisms

Greens Nitrogen rich materials such as: Grass clippings (no Weed and Feed) Green leaves Weeds (without seed heads) Vegetable garden wastes Flower heads (deadheads) Kitchen fruit and vegetable scraps Fresh or composted manures Coffee Grounds and Tea Bags Greens tend to be soft-structured and rich in moisture.

Browns Carbon rich materials such as: Dried grass clippings Dry leaves Wood chips Composted pine needles Shredded newspaper and cardboard Paper towels ( no chemicals) Sawdust and wood shavings Straw ( watch particle size!)

Shredded Natural Fabrics (cotton, wool, muslin, silk) Dried pasta, bread, oatmeal and dried legumes ( no fats)

Aerobic: Living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen. An aerobic yard waste compost pile gets hot during the most active phase of aerobic activity. A healthy compost pile needs plenty of oxygen for organisms to do their work. Turn your compost pile to keep oxygen flowing throughout the pile. Without enough oxygen, piles become slow to decompose and can develop unpleasant odors!

Anaerobic: Living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen Anaerobes work slowly, produce no heat, and give off methane (sewer gas), hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg aroma), alcohols, phenols, terpines, putresines and cadaverines. Anaerobes begin to function when oxygen concentrations drop below about 15%. When oxygen levels drop below approximately 8%, distinctive odors are generated.

Too much nitrogen rich material can create an anaerobic condition due to the greens breaking down and collapsing, forcing out oxygen, causing the death of organisms. Anaerobic piles smell of ammonia and sulfur. They will eventually decompose but your neighbors may run you out of town first!

Factor 1: Aeration Aerobic decomposition cannot take place without oxygen! Oxygen can penetrate passively about 18into the pile. Once the oxygen in the thermophilic center of the pile is depleted, the pile will cool off and the dormant anaerobes will repopulate the compost. How to maintain adequate oxygen and encourage aerobic organisms? Turn the pile!

Effect of turning the pile on the rate of decomposition as measured by temperature change.

As the graph illustrated, a pile turned every 3 days will decompose far more quickly than a pile turned every 10 or 30 days. If turning every 3 days is good, would turning the pile every day be better? NO! Fungi and actinomycetes are extremely sensitive to temperature and oxygen concentrations and thrive only in the cool, oxygen rich, outermost layer (4 to 6) of a compost pile.

Factor 2: Moisture The microorganisms in a compost system rely on water not only for their metabolic functions, but also as a medium through which they move to all parts of the pile. Too little moisture cannot sustain microbial life. Too much moisture squeezes out oxygen and encourages proliferation of anaerobes.

A handful of compost should feel moist but should produce no water drops when squeezed. Think Damp Sponge

Factor 3: Volume As compost goes from the psychrophilic to mesophilic to thermophilic temperature range, the rate of decomposition increases. The most active breakdown occurs in the thermophilic range. An ideal compost pile must be well insulated to retain the heat generated by microbial action. The most efficient volume for a home compost pile is 27ft 3 or one cubic yard or larger.

One cubic yard is about 6 32 gal. trashcans full of organic material. For the homeowner, piles larger than 1 cubic yard become difficult to turn and aeration suffers. If a homeowner has large amounts of compostable materials, it is more prudent to build several smaller piles rather than one big pile. Piles that are too large can reach temperatures over 160 degrees and can kill the organisms we are trying to nurture.

The importance of particle size is about the amount of surface area available to microscopic organisms at the bottom of the Compost Food Web; the more surface area available, the faster the rate of breakdown. In addition, most plants have a protective outer skin that naturally resists bacteria and fungi. Breaking or chipping the plant exposes the vulnerable inner surfaces to microbial action. Factor 4: Particle Size

The ideal particle size is 1-2 in diameter at the largest point. Achieve ideal particle size by running over materials with a lawn mower or put them through a chipper/shredder. Shredded materials not only increase the rate of decomposition, a pile composed of uniformly sized organic materials has greater insulating value, sheds rainwater, resists excessive drying, and is easier to turn and harvest.

Factor 5: C:N Ratio (Carbon to Nitrogen) All living organisms require Carbon (C) and Nitrogen (N) to live Carbon is used for both cell structure and energy while nitrogen is used primarily in building cell proteins. The relative concentrations of the two elements are expressed as the C:N Ratio (Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio).

Factor 5: C:N Ratio (Carbon to Nitrogen) Cells need more carbon than nitrogen. In fact, most organisms use 30 parts of carbon to each part of nitrogen (C:N ration of 30:1). If carbon content greatly exceeds nitrogen, bacteria will rapidly use all the available nitrogen and die and decomposition will slow down If nitrogen concentrations are too high, bacteria will release unused nitrogen as ammonia and anaerobic decomposition will begin.

Mixing an equal volume of brown and green materials will result in a C:N of 30:1. In other words, for every shovel full of browns, add a shovel full of greens and mix well.

Finished compost acts as a repository for the slow release of plant nutrients. Compost is a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, insects and earthworms. FINISHED COMPOST IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS. It is neither acid nor alkaline with a pH of around 7.5nearly neutral. Its like gold for your garden!

Compost helps plants fight disease. When the soil is depleted, the plants roots and leaves can become susceptible to pathogenic bacteria or fungi. Plants depend on certain types of beneficial bacteria and fungus to fight disease, and these are present in compost. Compost also improves soil tilth and helps sandy soils retain moisture while increasing drainage in heavy soils!

Using Finished Compost as a Soil Amendment in New Lawns and Beds Poor soils are low in organic matter. The subsoil exposed during construction usually contains less than 1% organic material. To be effective, it is important to amend at least the top 6-8 inches of soil with sufficient compost so that the final soil contains between 8% and 13% organic material by soil weight. Rule of Thumb A 2 to 1 ratio of existing soil to compost, by loose volume will achieve the desired organics level.

Using Finished Compost in Established Beds To amend the soil in established flower or vegetable beds, gently work approximately 1 compost into the soil around plants. Repeat on a yearly basis or as needed. You may also top dress around root systems of plants. Compost will slowly leach nutrients into the soil as you water, and earthworms and other organisms will carry nutrients down. Apply mulch directly over compost.

Compost makes a great top dressing But. Compost makes a lousy mulch.

For Established Lawns The best time to amend the soil is during the spring or fall, after aeration. After aeration, spread a thin (approximately ) layer of screened, finished compost over the lawn and water well. The compost will slowly work its way into the soil as water and earthworms carry it down and plant roots push it around.

Compost tea is the water-extracted soluble fraction of finished compost Research into the modes of action of compost tea is in its infancy. Compost teas may induce natural plant defenses. Compost teas contain antibiotic-like molecules that may suppress the growth of disease organisms. The benefits from compost teas are highly debated in the scientific and horticultural arenas.

Decide for yourself Make some compost Brew a nice batch of compost tea.. Serve it to your plant friends SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

Compost pile isnt getting hot Check C:N ratio to make sure you have enough greens. Check particle size: If pieces are too large, too much air circulates cooling pile. Make sure your pile is large enough. One cubic yard (or larger) piles work best.

Compost pile smells bad Check C:N ratio: Add more browns if nitrogen level is too high Check moisture level: Pile should be damp not soaking wet. Add more browns and turn pile well to aerate. Leave uncovered for several days Make sure no meat, dairy or fats have been added to the pile

Critters are getting into the pile Bury kitchen waste in center of the pile. Be sure not to add meat, dairy or fats to pile. If necessary, fence in compost area with appropriately sized wire mesh. Buy a good Terrier!

Sheet Composting Mixed organic wastes are worked into the soil by physically tilling them in. Materials are manually or mechanically tilled into the soil and left to decompose. Decomposition takes place naturally in the soil. Best done in the fall for decomposition to take place over winter. Sheet composting in spring needs 5-6 weeks.

A variation of this technique involves rotating trenches. In the next season, planting rows and decomposing organic matter rows are reversed. For an avid gardener, this method produces rich, fertile soil season after season. This works well for large vegetable gardens and flower beds.

An open pile is simply unconfined compost. Open piles generally require a significant amount of space and distance from neighbors. They can be actively managed to produce compost quickly or left to decay naturally. It is best to cover open piles with a tarp to prevent nutrient leaching in winter and preserve moisture in summer. You will still need a cubic yard or larger in volume to maintain insulation properties.

Wire or plastic mesh enclosure Wooden pallet bin Homemade Three Bin Turning Unit Concrete block bin Commercially Available Compost Bins

Commercial compost bins are widely available, come in every shape and size and run from very inexpensive to extravagant. With the exception of tumblers, most commercial compost bins are only marginally effective at composting yard waste. www.composters.com

Lets Talk About a Few More Things Things We Dont Want to Put in a Compost Pile How Do I Heat Up a Cold Compost Pile? Kitchen Waste Digesters

These Things Should NOT Go Into a Compost Pile Meats Dairy Fats Bones Persistent or Invasive Weeds Poisonous Plants Diseased Plants Pressure Treated Sawdust or Chips Feces of Carnivorous Animals Human Feces Wood Ash or Lime

Reheating a Cold Compost Pile It is extremely difficult to add enough ingredients to a cold compost pile to cause it to heat up for any period of time. If you want a hot compost pile, do it right the first time and mix a batch of compost, following directions for a hot compost pile. Adding large quantities of nitrogen rich materials will cause a pile to heat up temporarily, however take care not to create an anaerobic environment.

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Presented by Cynthia Warne Program Coordinator WSU Master Gardeners of Clallam County