Composting

Composting: The Natural Way to Help Your Garden Countryside

Why Composting? Countryside
Yard Waste accounts for 20% of what goes in a landfill
In Illinois it is illegal to put yard waste into landfills
In McHenry County we have no landfills

Benefits of Composting Countryside
Healthy Soil
All soils benefit from organic matter
Healthy Plants
Less Cost
Don’t have to buy soil additives
Use the leaves instead of buying leaf bags
Easy and Convenient

Composting Basics: How do I start? Countryside
Proper Location:
Level, well drained location with half day sun
Proper Ingredients:
A mix of “green” and “brown”
Adequate Aeration
Proper Moisture

Ingredients: Countryside Green (high in nitrogen) Browns (high in carbon) Do Not Use Grass Clippings Leaves Bones Prunings Bark Dog/cat feces Fruits and vegetables Straw Oil Houseplants Woodchips Grease Manure: chicken, horse, pig, cow or rabbit Sawdust fat Kitchen scraps: of a vegetative origin Newspaper (shredded) Wood ash Brush (chopped) Meat/fish scraps, dairy products

How to assemble the pile Countryside
Pick location
Pile should be roughly 3ftx3ftx3ft
Use 1 part green material to 3 parts brown material. Layer with soil or manure to provide beneficial microbes that start the process. Can also use commercial compost starters
Aerate the pile: Using coarse materials such as twigs, straw or wood chips will help to naturally aerate, but you will have to turn it or use a compost aerator. This should be done every couple of weeks
Water: Add enough water so that the pile is similar to a wet sponge. Too much water will inhibit the process so you may have to cover the pile

Make Your Own Bin Countryside 1 2 3

Commercial Composters Countryside Batch composter Continuous composting Compost aerator

Troubleshooting Countryside Problem Possible Cause Solution Foul odor Excess moisture Turn pile or add dry material such as straw Compaction Turn the pile or decrease size Ammonia odor Too much nitrogen Add high carbon (brown items) Low temp Pile too small, too little moisture, poor aeration, cold weather Enlarge pile, add water and turn, turn pile, increase pile size or insulate with straw High temp Pile too large, too much nitrogen Reduce pile size or turn, add high carbon (brown) material Pests present Presence of meat scraps, or fatty food waste Remove meat and fatty foods and cover with a layer of soil, switch to animal proof bin

Other Ways to “Compost” Countryside
Leave grass clippings on lawn to decompose. Mow more frequently to leave short clippings
Sheet Composting– rake leaves into perennial beds and leave to decompose naturally. Down side is composting in the soil takes nitrogen from the soil so make sure you fertilize regularly during the spring and summer
Lasagna Gardening– on the ground or in a raised bed, layer newspaper, peat moss and organic matter. Use as many layers as you would like. Water thoroughly. Plant directly in the pile and then add a layer of mulch

Composting

by Leslie Ross on Apr 20, 2008

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Composting — Presentation Transcript