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August 27, 2020We appreciate you joining the virtual class. We will begin our class on time at 6:00pm.Just Some Reminders:

- All attendees are automatically muted and will not be able to unmute or share video once joined in the class.- Please place all comments or questions in the Q&A box. We will have personnel reviewing and answering questions

as they are received. We will present the questions to the instructor at points within the presentation and at the end. - Class handout material(s) are in the reminder emails that were sent leading up to this class. The attachment links to

the handout documents are toward the bottom of the email. - If you are having technical difficulties, feel free to email us at: conserve@chandleraz.gov or call 480-782-3606- This workshop and the conversations in the Q&A chat box will both be recorded. - The most recent Class Reminder email that was sent a couple hours ago includes the presentation slides.

THEDIRTON

COMPOST

©KirtiMathura2020

Compostingcanbeverysimple……orquitecomplicated.

It’syourchoice!

Youneedtochooseasystemthatworksforyou.

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Yourchoiceshouldtakeintoaccount:

‐thetimeyouarewillingandabletospendonyourcompost

‐thephysicaleffortrequiredbythedifferentsystems

‐thematerialsthatareavailable

Choosingapilestyle

Generally,amassthatisaboutacubicyard(orlarger)isgoodforsuccessfulcomposting.Ifitistoosmall,itwon’tholdheatormoistureverywell(andwilltakelongertoprocess).

Thesizeofyoursystemshouldtakeintoaccount theamountofspaceyouhaveavailable,aswellastheamountofmaterialyouhavetocompost.

Yoursystemcanbeasimpleheaporpile…

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…oritcanbesomesortofbinifyouareinterestedintidinessoraesthetics.

Gardening– Henry Beard & Roy McKie

Ifyoupreferabinsystem,itshouldbeatleast3’wideandabout3’tall.

32”– 36”isconsideredthemaximumheightforeaseofworkingyoursystem.

3’

3’

Considerwhetheryouwantastationaryoramovablestructure.

Ifthebinisstationary,removablepanelsorslats,gates,ordoorscanmakeworkingeasier.

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Binscanbeopen‐sidedorenclosed(butnotairtight)

OPEN‐SIDED vs. ENCLOSEDbetteraeration decreasedaerationdriesoutfaster retainsmoistureloosesheatfaster holdsheatbetter

detersanimals

Somebinstyles:galvanizedhardwarecloth,orchickenwire

‐makingacircularenclosureiseasy

recycledpallets‐pineismorerot‐resistantthanhardwoods‐choosepalletsthathavenarrowspacesbetweentheslats

(paintcanpallets)

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screen‐ keepssmallmaterialfromfallingout

wood‐untreatedwoodwilldecomposeovertime,(cedarorredwoodareslowesttodecay)‐treatedwoodorpaintedwoodmaycontainheavymetalssuchasarsenic,copper,chromium,orothertoxins,thatcouldleachintocompostovertime

cinderblocks

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flexibleplasticenclosure

recycledtrashbinswithorwithoutlids,

right‐side‐uporupside‐down

recycledplasticbinsstanding

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recycledplastictumblers

composttumblers

NOPITS!!!

Pitsdon’tallowproperaerationandcanholdtoomuchwater!

Theycaneasilybecomeanaerobic(andstinky!)

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1compartmentvs.2ormorecompartments

Takeintoconsiderationthespaceyouhaveavailable,thequantityofmaterialyouhaveto compost,andyourhabits.

Locatingyourcompostsystem‐easyaccessforyou‐accessfromyourkitchenandgardenareas‐enoughspacetomaneuverasyouwork

*accesstoawatersource‐placedawayfromwallsorfencesthatcanrotordiscolor

‐locatedonlevel,welldrainedsurface‐notalowspotintheyard

*

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‐nottooclosetoatreeorlargeshrub‐rootswillgrowupintothecompost

‐sunvs.shade‐summer:sunwilldrythepileoutfaster‐winter:sunwillkeepmicroorganismsmoreactive

‐aesthetics

Thecompostingprocess

Tocreateafinishedcompostproduct,youneedtoprovidefood,water,andair.

Ifyouprovidetheseessentials,theworkerswillcome.

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Thefood isthematerialyouputintothecompost.

Acarbontonitrogenratioofatleast3:1willprovideasuitablecombinationofmaterial.

Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.

carbonsources:*deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons

Kirti Mathura

Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.

carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)*chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons

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Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.

carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)*coffeefiltersteabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons

Kirti Mathura

Carbon(C)isobtainedfromdry leafyandwoodymaterials.

carbonsources:deadleavesdriedwinterryegrassclippings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)straw(withnoBermudagrass)chipped/shreddedbranches(fromatreeremovalservice)woodshavings(non‐treatedwood)coffeefilters*teabagsshreddednewspaperspaperbagscardboardeggcartons

compostableitems

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Nitrogen(N)isprovidedbygreenormoistmaterial.

nitrogensources:

kitchenfruitandveggiescraps

Kirti Mathura

Kirti Mathura

pulpfromajuicebar

Nitrogen(N)isprovidedbygreenormoistmaterial.

nitrogensources:

coffeegrounds(fromcoffeeshops)

freshwinterryegrasscuttings(bestnottoincludeBermudagrass)

youngweeds(thathavenotfloweredyet,donothaveseeds)

freshyard/gardenwaste

hair

manure

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manures

cowshorsesgoatssheepchickensrabbits

NOcats,dogs,orbirds(cancarrydisease‐causingpathogens,orparasitessuchasroundwormsortapeworms)

Itissafesttousefullycompostedmanureinyourherbandvegetablegardens.Thisshouldpreventpossiblepathogens,suchasSalmonella,Listeria,andE.coli,fromcontaminatingyourgardenproduce.Ifnotfullycomposted,thegreatestriskofpathogensiswithrootcropsorediblepartsofothervegetablesorherbsthatcomeindirectcontactwiththesoil.

Manurecancontainconcentratedsalts.

Freshmanurecanburnplantroots.

coverfoodscrapswithalayerofcarbontodiscourageflies

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Donotfeedyourpile:

diseasedorinsect‐infestedplantmaterialsmeat,fish,bonesordairyproducts(canattracthouseflies)fatsoroilsofanykind(canbecomerancid,smelly)weedseeds(unlessyoucomposthot!)ashesminerallimeeggshells(madeofcalcium…)catordogfecesmagazines,coloredpagesofnewspaper(ads)

youngweeds=ok

noseeds‐floweringweeds=dangerous

Plantmaterialwithtoxinsorgrowthinhibitors:

Thechemicaltoxinsorgrowthinhibitorsarebrokendownifthematerialisfully decomposed.

oleandereucalyptussaltcedar(tamarisk)sunflowerpaloverde

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Thewater isthemoistureyouprovideforthecompostmaterials.

Maintainthematerialsinamoistcondition,damplikeawrung‐outsponge.

Ifthepilebecomestoowet,ananaerobicconditioniscreated,alongwithanaccompanyingodor.Aerationandadditionalcarbonmaterialscancreateanaerobicenvironmentonceagain,suitableforthedesiredorganisms.

Theair istheaerationofthecompost.

Provideproperaerationofthesystembyfrequentlyturningandmixingthematerialssoairwillbeavailableforthehardworkingmicroorganisms.Ideally,turnthepileonceaweek.Donotaeratemorethanthreetimesaweek.

Somehandytoolsforaeratingyourpile:

pitchforkdiggingforkflat‐edgedshovel

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compostaeratorgizmos

pvc tubewithholes Compost Crank®

wingedaerator

aeration

Theworkers arethemicroorganisms(andmacroorganisms).

Youcanaddafewshovels‐fullofcompost,soilthathasbeenamendedwithcompost,orsomecommercialcompost“starter”orinoculant(oractivator)toprovidetheagentsneededtodecomposetheorganicmatter.

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Theorganicmaterialsarebrokendownbyfungi,bacteria,actinomycetesandothermicroorganisms.

mycelia–indicatesgoodfungusatwork!

Therearebothaerobic andanaerobic bacteria.

Withhealthycompostinghabits,youwillencouragethepreferredtypesofaerobic bacteria.

‐psychrophilicbacteria– activebetween0– 55oF‐mesophilicbacteria– activebetween50– 120oF‐thermophilic(heat‐loving)bacteria– activebetween120– 150oF

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Chop,shred,ordicethedebrisintosmallpieces.Theincreasedsurfaceareamakesiteasierforthemicroorganismstodotheirwork,soyouwillhavefinishedcompostfaster.

shredders

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Macroorganisms (largerorganisms)suchasearthworms,pillbugs,crickets,beetles,roaches,etc.,helpbreakdownlargerpiecesofmaterial,somicroorganismscantakeoverandfinishthejob.

TemperaturesAtemperatureof100– 150o Finthecompostpileindicatesthatthemicroorganismsarehardatwork.Thiscreatesthemostrapidlyfinishedcompostproduct.

Highertemperaturesof150– 160o Fwillkillmostweedseedandeggsofcritterssuchascricketsorroaches.

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Stagesofcomposting:stockpiling,hotcomposting,andcuring.

Stockpilingiscollectingmaterialsuntilyouhaveenoughtomakeabatchofcompost.Holdingbinscankeepthingstidy,keepleavesorotherlightweightmaterialsfromblowingaway.

stockpiling…

…shredding

stagesofcomposting:

hotcomposting stockpiling

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stagesofcomposting:

curing

DecompositionThefinishedcompostproductwilloccupyonly25‐ 40%ofthespaceofthestartingmaterials.Ifthematterisfullydecomposed,youcan’tidentifyanyparticularmaterials.Theendresult,humus,isadark,richlooking,crumblymaterialthatsmellsearthy.

homemadecompostsifters

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TimelineTheprocesscantakeaslittleas4– 6weeks,ormoretypicallyaslongas 6months,toayear.

Morefibrousmaterials(fibrousagaveleaves,corncobs,bananapeels,pineneedles)takelongertobreakdown.

Benefitsofcompostforvegetablesandherbs

‐Compostenhancessoilstructure,allowingbetterrootdevelopmentforstrongerplants.‐loosensheavy,clayeysoils‐holdssandy,orgravellysoilstogether‐reducessoilcompactionanderosion

‐Compostprovidesbetterwater‐holdingcapacityofsoil.‐createsbetterdrainageinclayeysoils‐allowssaltstoleachbelowtherootzone

‐holdsmoisturemoreeffectivelyinsandyorrockysoils‐reducesleachingofnutrientsbelowtherootzone

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SOILNUTRIENTAVAILABILITYRELATIVETOSOILpH

‐ComposthelpslowersoilpHovertime.‐makesnutrientsmorereadilyavailableforabsorptionfromthesoil

‐Compostreturnssmallquantitiesofnutrientstothesoil.‐this,combinedwithmorefriendlysoilpH,reducestheneedforadditionalfertilizers

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‐Thegoodmicroorganismsassociatedwithcompostcreateahealthysoilthatcankeepsoil‐bornepathogens(badbacteriaandfungi)incheck.

…andthat’sthedirtoncompost!

Additional Resources

City of Chandler

Solid Waste & Recycling chandleraz.gov/residents/recycling-and-trashEmail: solidwaste.customerservice@chandleraz.govPh# 480-782-3510

Water Conservationchandleraz.gov/waterEmail: conserve@chandleraz.govPh# 480-782-3580

Town of Queen Creek

Solid Waste & Recycling QueenCreek.org/Department/Trash-RecyclingPh# 480-358-3450

Water ConservationQueenCreek.org/ReducetheUseEmail: ConservetheQC@queencreek.orgPh# 480-358-3455