This document provides information about home composting methods. It discusses Wisconsin's law banning yard waste from landfills and incinerators. While municipalities provide yard waste collection, home composting is more economical and beneficial. The document describes hot and cool composting methods and provides instructions for different compost bin designs like snow fence bins, woven wire bins, and wooden pallet bins. It also provides guidelines for composting food scraps and answers frequently asked composting questions.
Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organic material can be plant material or animal matter. While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from mankind. If you’ve ever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in its most natural setting. Both living plants and annual plants that die at the end of the season are consumed by animals of all sizes, from larger mammals, birds, and rodents to worms, insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this natural cycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigested food that is left on the forest floor to create rich, usually soft, sweet-smelling soil. Backyard composting is the intentional and managed decomposition of organic materials for the production of compost, that magical soil enhancer that is fundamental to good gardening. Anyone can effectively manage the composting process.
Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organic material can be plant material or animal matter. While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from mankind. If you’ve ever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in its most natural setting. Both living plants and annual plants that die at the end of the season are consumed by animals of all sizes, from larger mammals, birds, and rodents to worms, insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this natural cycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigested food that is left on the forest floor to create rich, usually soft, sweet-smelling soil. Backyard composting is the intentional and managed decomposition of organic materials for the production of compost, that magical soil enhancer that is fundamental to good gardening. Anyone can effectively manage the composting process.
This slide is all about compost . composting is the method to put life in the soil. It fertilizes the soil and provide a new growth to plants . it is a proper media for seedling and start cutting
click on link below to watch video
https://youtu.be/uBgcX-zZ4Fo
28 .Kitchen gardening start up A Series of Lectures By Mr. Allah Dad Khan...Mr.Allah Dad Khan
A Series of Lectures By Mr. Allah Dad Khan Former DG Agriculture Extension KPK , Provincial Project Director CMP II MINFAl Islamabad and Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan.
This document by Suhas Dixit is aimed to shed light on composting process. Composting is a process in which the organic waste can be reduced to manure which can be a great source to increase fertility of the soil.
Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose
This slide is all about compost . composting is the method to put life in the soil. It fertilizes the soil and provide a new growth to plants . it is a proper media for seedling and start cutting
click on link below to watch video
https://youtu.be/uBgcX-zZ4Fo
28 .Kitchen gardening start up A Series of Lectures By Mr. Allah Dad Khan...Mr.Allah Dad Khan
A Series of Lectures By Mr. Allah Dad Khan Former DG Agriculture Extension KPK , Provincial Project Director CMP II MINFAl Islamabad and Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan.
This document by Suhas Dixit is aimed to shed light on composting process. Composting is a process in which the organic waste can be reduced to manure which can be a great source to increase fertility of the soil.
Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose
Solid Waste Compost Plant - DCC Infra, Composting is a natural process that turns organic materials into dark substances. A Thai substance called humus is a wonderful conditioner for soil. Organic Waste Composter, Organic Waste Composting, Waste Composting Machine, Organic Waste Composter, Composting Machine, OWC Machines
Edible School Garden Educational Handout
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Companion Planting Increases Food Production from School Gardens
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
Growing on Clay Soils; by Vegan Organic Network
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
Construction and Environmental Equipment from DCS Techno.pdfDCSTechno
We DCS Techno as an Organization believe to give customized and applicable results to our guests. As per our experience, different guests are looking for different results and benefits from this Outfit.
Organic Waste Composter (OWC)
In any Bio-Degradable Wet Waste, 70 of the content is Water and the balance is Solid content. This is the vital principle for working with GREEN BIN. Organic Waste Composter (GREEN BIN) is a fully automatic composting machine that uses particular microorganisms to break down and decay all kinds of natural waste into manure with a
volume decrease of 85-90. The entire process is genuine and natural.
Hydraulic creators produce high-quality electricity using the power from the base machine’s hydraulic System. The Hydraulic creator is turned on by opening the hydraulic oil painting oil flux to it. A hydraulic creator is a quiet-running creator that does not need a fresh pump or motor. Installing a Hydraulic creator into a mobile machine increases the vehicle's productivity and net worth.
There is no further need for dragging big separate generators to the work Spots, Hydraulic
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Rock crushing is a process used in construction, mining, and aggregate assiduity. As the
name suggests, it involves breaking down gemstones into fine, small pieces. The process
generally involves several major pieces of the outfit. A haul loads the clincher with the large
pieces of the gemstone. The clincher cannot crush boulder-sized monuments.
There's a major distinction while copping an alternate-hand or employed tractor; a commodity like 25 to half of the expenditure is the distinction from the new backhoe. likewise, someone must be careful; though an alternate-hand excavator is cheaper it can
bring big during repairs. Hence, the total quantum of cost can make it not worth copping.
The physical check is generally done in two phases; the visual physical check and the operation or performance check. Stage I-Visual fleshly or physical examination.
The following are the effects to be checked in this stage Machine- If examining the machine, you must search around the cube of the machine for any signs of soot that comes from the bank. Any sign of soot will signify that there's a need of catching the machine. Check also for any suggestion of oil painting leakages in the machine or neglect.
School Gardening Guide - Composting in the School Garden ~ Massachusetts
|=> Farmers, gardeners, homeowners and schools all over Massachusetts are recycling food and yard wastes at the source, reducing the waste flow, protecting the environment and utilizing this valuable soil amendment. Adding a composting program to your school garden is also a way to teach first hand about soil science, decomposition and environmental sustainability. This guide provides an introduction to the science, how-to and options for school composting
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double your School Garden Food Production with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Companion Planting Increases School Garden Food Production by 250 Percent
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
Composting in the School Garden
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Companion Planting Increases Food Production from School Gardens
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
This is a slideshow to instruct Master Gardener students about the properties of soils with respect to plant nutrition. Professor J. Stevens, LSU AgCenter fertility specialist, created this PPT
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2. Wisconsin’s Recycling Law
Each year over 300,000 tons of yard materials
no longer go to landfills or incinerators in
Wisconsin. Valuable space and resources
have been saved since 1993 when the state
banned leaves, grass clippings, garden debris,
and twigs, brush and branches (6” in diam-
eter or smaller) from going to these disposal
sites.
Although many communities provide collection
for yard materials; the most economical way to
handle these materials is to compost them at
home. Home composting saves money on soil
amendments and improves your yard and
gardens. Municipalities save too with reduced
collection costs.
(Note: stumps, roots or shrubs with intact root ball
can still be landfilled or sent to incinerators which
burn solid waste to recover energy.)
A Burning Issue
Burning leaves and brush is declining. People
recognize the value of these materials for mulch
or compost. They also realize that burning
pollutes the air, creates fire hazards and can be
a health risk and nuisance to neighbors. State
air quality and fire control rules restrict back-
yard burning and many communities prohibit
it entirely.
2
3. In This Brochure...
You will find information about different
composting methods as well as the types of
materials recommended for home composting.
If you have questions about your current home
composting or you are interested in composting
additional materials, this brochure is for you.
Compost Systems. . . . . . . . page 4
“Hot or Cool” composting systems—which
approach is better for you?
Food Scrap Composting. . . . page 6
What food scraps can you compost? Includes
information on soil incorporation,
composting, and
vermicomposting (worm
bins).
Piles, Pits, Bins and Barrels. . page 7
What composting bin design will work for you?
Commonly-Asked Questions. . page 16
Answers to questions on composting pine
needles and oak leaves, odors, pests pesticides/
herbicides, and other troubleshooting tips.
3
4. Hot Composting
A “hot” compost pile breaks down yard materi-
als rapidly. You build a “hot” pile all at once
(in a batch). The microbes on the yard materi-
als multiply and are the workhorses of the
compost pile. Give the microbes a mix of
carbon and nitrogen foods, water and oxygen
and they will multiply and heat your pile. The
pile may reach 140˚ F or more, but to avoid loss
of nitrogen (and associated ammonia odor) and
optimize the decomposition rate, you generally
don't want it hotter.
Hot compost piles require periodic “turning” to
mix materials, allow oxygen to circulate, and
keep temperatures from getting too high. In
spring through fall, turn materials every 1 to 2
weeks if using an enclosed bin, or every 2 to 3
weeks if using a pile or open top bin. Add water
as needed to keep the materials slightly moist.
Materials will become inactive if they are too
dry. Overly wet materials will not allow air
circulation, and will produce undesirable odors,
along with chemicals that aren't good for your
plants. A ”hot” pile can make finished compost
in 2-6 months.
Hot composting is ideal for a household that has
lots of yard materials, has limited space for a
compost pile, wants a finished product in a short
amount of time, and is willing to actively work
the material. Food scraps can be buried 8-10
inches into the center of the material or covered
with a layer of dried leaves, hay or other carbon.
Many communities regulate composting food
scraps. Always check with your local community
before composting your food scraps.
4
5. Cool Composting
“Cool” composting is the laid back way to
recycle your yard materials. A “cool” pile is
built a little at a time or all at once but with
little turning. Always put a layer of carbon (i.e.
leaves or hay) on the top to control odors.
A "cool" compost pile remains cool because: 1)
it contains little or no green materials, 2)
moisture isn't added, so sometimes, the materi-
als may dry out, and 3) it isn't turned, so low
oxygen is available, and excess moisture isn't
driven off very fast. All of these
conditions result in slow
composting. You may turn it
now and then or let it sit. It
may be necessary to occasion-
ally turn the materials, if odors
develop due to green materials
being added or the materials becoming too
moist. Finished compost can take 1 – 2 years.
In a “cool” compost pile, grass clippings and
other nitrogen materials should be mixed with
other bulky materials like leaves or straw. Be
careful what you add to a “cool” pile. Do not
add diseased plants, or any portion of invasive
plants or their seeds, as high enough tempera-
tures may not be reached to destroy the disease
or viable parts of plants and their seeds.
Food scraps can be added to enclosed bins and
must be buried 8-10 inches into the center of the
material or covered with a layer of dried leaves,
hay or other carbon. Many communities
regulate composting food scraps. Always check
with your local community before composting
your food scraps.
Cool composting is ideal for a household that
needs to manage material, has enough space to
allow material to sit for 1-2 years, and wants to
put minimum work into managing their yard
materials.
5
6. Food Scrap Composting
Food scraps may be composted in three ways:
incorporation into the soil, composting and
worm bins.
In many communities there are public health
ordinances which regulate food waste
composting. Always check with your local
community before attempting to compost your
food scraps.
Soil incorporation
Soil incorporation is the simplest method of
composting food scraps. Dig a hole or trench,
chop the food scraps and mix them into the
soil, and then cover them with at least 8" of
additional soil.
DO NOT bury foods such as meat, bones, dairy
products, or oils. They will attract animals and
other pests.
6
7. Hot or Cool Composting
Food scraps should only be added to enclosed
bins using the hot or cool method. They must
be buried into a compost pile (8-10 inches) or
put on an enclosed pile and covered with 8-10
inches of carbon materials (leaves or straw, etc.)
Add only uncooked vegetable scraps, never
scraps containing oils, meats, bones, or dairy
products. Keep the pile enclosed in a bin to help
keep out animals.
What food scraps can I compost?
YES: fruits and vegetables, such as apples
(peels and core), cabbage, carrots, celery, coffee
grounds (and filters), eggshells, grapefruit,
lettuce, onion peels, orange peels, pears, pine-
apple, melon rinds, potatoes, pumpkin shells,
squash, tea leaves, tomatoes, turnip leaves, etc.
NO: dairy and meat products, including butter,
bones, cheese, chicken, fish scraps, lard, may-
onnaise, meat scraps, milk, sour cream, and
yogurt. Do not compost foods containing oils or
fats such as peanut butter, salad dressing,
margarine, and vegetable oil.
Piles, Pits, Bins and Barrels
No matter what composting method you use
(hot vs. cold, or pile vs. open bin vs. enclosed
bin) decomposition will occur faster if the
materials are reduced in size down to about 1/2
inch. It's important that all the materials are
not reduced too small, as this will inhibit air
circulation, and very frequent turning will be
required to keep the microbes supplied with
oxygen.
Too much moisture or green material (grass
clippings) may cause odor problems. To mini-
mize odors, mix in some leaves or bulky or-
ganic material and turn the pile more fre-
quently to let air inside.
7
8. “The Pile”
The pile is not a structure, however many
people use this composting method. Pile leaves
and grass into a corner of the yard and nature
does its work.
The pile can be used for either a cool or hot
composting. DO NOT ADD FOOD SCRAPS to
this open pile!
Snow fence bin
Bins made with
prefabricated snow
fencing are popu-
lar because they
are simple to
make and easy to
move and store.
To build this bin, buy the appropriate length of
prefabricated fencing (a 64 cubic foot bin would
be 16' long and 4' high), and fasten two-by-
fours to the corners to form a stable square bin.
A bin 4' x 4' x 4' (64 cubic feet) may keep the
compost pile active during the winter months.
A snow fence bin can be used for either a cool
or hot composting.
Woven wire bin
This simple, economical bin requires only a
length of woven wire fencing and a few minutes
of time to construct. Multiply the diameter of
the compost heap by 3.2 to get the length of
8
9. fencing to buy. Fasten the ends with wire or
three or four small chain snaps (available at
hardware stores) to make a circle. To turn the
material in the bin, simply open the bin up,
move it, and turn the material back into the
bin at its new location. To make the bin more
stable, attach the sides to posts. To keep the
compost from freezing during the winter
months, use a piece of woven wire with a 4'
height and approximately 16' long and overlap
ends by only about 9" to make a 4 1/2' diameter
bin with a volume of about 64 cubic feet.
A woven wire bin can be either a cool or hot
composting structure.
Wooden pallet bin
Old wooden pallets are an inexpensive, readily
available building material. Pallets can easily
be wired together to form a bin. In areas where
the soil is a heavy clay, consider using a pallet
to form the bottom of the bin and keep materi-
als up off the ground for better drainage.
Construct bins with removable fronts or sides so
that yard materials can be easily turned with a
pitchfork. Wire mesh can be substituted for
wooden sides to increase air flow. Covered bins
allow protection from heavy rains.
A wooden pallet bin can be either a cool or hot
composting structure.
9
10. To make the structure more attractive consider
painting the bin with an outdoor latex paint or
plant climbing plants around the outside of the
bin.
Barrel/drum composter
A barrel or drum composter generates compost
in a relatively short period of time and provides
an easy mechanism for turning. This method
requires a barrel of at least 55 gallons with a
secure lid. Be sure it was
not used to store toxic
chemicals.
Drill 6-9 rows of 1/2 inch
holes the length of the
barrel to allow for air
circulation and drainage
of excess moisture. Place
barrel upright on blocks to
prevent excessive rusting.
To make a rotating barrel
go to www.uwex.edu/ces/
shwec for Barrel
Composter.
Fill 3/4 full with material. Every few days, turn
the rotating barrel or place the plain drum on
its side and roll it around the yard to mix and
let air into the compost. The compost should be
ready in two to four months.
This is an easy system for city dwellers where
there is a small amount of material. This
rolling barrel design is one of the easiest to
construct at home. Because of the small size of
the structure, yard materials in the drum will
usually freeze during a Wisconsin winter.
10
11. Three-chambered bin
This efficient and durable composter yields
quick results. It works like an assembly line
with three batches of compost in different stages
of decomposition. Material is started in the first
bin and allowed to decompose for 3-5 weeks.
Then it is turned into the middle bin for an-
other 4-7 weeks. The material in the middle bin
is turned into the third and last bin as finished
or nearly finished compost. New material is
started in the first bin each time it is emptied.
This structure should be made from rot-resistant
wood such as cedar, arsenic free treated wood,
plastic lumber, or metal posts and wire mesh or
hardware cloth. Each bin should be approxi-
mately 3-5 feet wide by 3-5 feet high. Remov-
able slats in the front and between bins offers
complete access to the contents for turning.
Another design option is making the fronts
removable doors rather than wooden slats.
Plastic or hardware cloth can be used to make
tops for shedding heavy rain or snow.
Commercial Compost Bins
There are many manufactured compost bins on
the market made of recycled plastic, metal or
wood. Check out your local garden center,
home supply stores, or the internet. Many local
communities have annual compost bin sales
through their recycling program, UW Extension
or other programs.
11
12. “The Pit and Trench”
Pit and trench composting is useful for garden-
ers and is frequently done right in their garden
or next to their garden plot. This is an easy
compost method requiring no turning.
Dig a pit about 2-4 feet deep. Add yard materi-
als, including garden debris (no seeds or dis-
eased plants), throughout the summer. At the
end of the summer, when the garden is done,
cover the pit with 1-3 inches of soil. Next spring
plant the garden as usual locating the pit in a
different part of the garden. Before covering
with soil, food scraps can be added.
The trench is a variation of the pit. Dig a trench
18 inches deep. The trench can be located in a
garden or next to a garden. Fill the trench with
leaves, grass, and garden debris throughout the
summer. At the end of the summer, when the
garden is done, cover the trench with 1-3 inches
of soil. Do not add food scraps until you are
ready to cover the trench.
Worm Bins
Using worm bins (vermicomposting) is a fun
and easy way to compost food scraps. Worm
bins utilize redworms (not earthworms) to eat
food scraps and turn them into worm castings
— a useful garden fertilizer.
12
13. Worm bins are commonly made from simple
wood boxes with lids or plastic tubs. Put worms
in the box with shredded, moistened newsprint,
corrugated cardboard or shredded office paper.
A good rule of thumb for sizing the box is to
build one square foot of surface for every pound
of food waste generated per week and no more
than 12-18 inches high. (Redworms are surface
feeders). One of the easiest boxes to build is
called the 1-2-3 box — sides are 1 foot high, the
box is 2 feet deep from front to back, and 3 feet
wide from side to side (6 square feet surface
area), with aeration holes in the bottom and a
simple covering of black plastic over the top. A
box this size will handle about 6 pounds of food
scraps per week.
Drill air holes in the bottom of the wooden or
plastic box and keep the lid ajar to keep the
box dark, slightly moist, and ventilated. The
worms will not leave the box as long as it is
kept relatively moist and there is enough food
available. Don’t add more food than worms
can eat or you will have odor problems. Opti-
mal temperature for worm bins is between 50˚-
75˚ F. Do not let the temperature drop below
this level or the worms will die! Some people
keep their worm bins in the basement. Others
prefer a spot under the kitchen sink.
13
14. Worm bins are usually kept in the house to
assure the worms don’t get too cold or hot.
Redworms may be purchased at bait shops,
other stores which sell fishing supplies or off the
internet. Be sure to purchase redworms and
not earthworms or other worm varieties. They
consume their own
weight in food each
day! (Other types
of worms eat
less.)
Redworms
are only
about 2 to
4 inches
long when
full grown,
and are not
native to
Wisconsin.
Making a worm home
Once the worm bin is built, shred newspaper
(not the colored sections) or office paper into 1
1/2 inch-wide-strips until you have about 10
pounds of shredded newspaper. Add a small
amount of sand to provide grit for the worm’s
gizzard. Add about 4 gallons of water to the
paper to make the worm environment about 75
percent moisture. The worms will eat the
bedding material and sand as well as your food
scraps.
Feeding your worms
Once you add the redworms to their new home,
you can start feeding them your food scraps!
They will eat lettuce leaves, apple cores, potato
peels, watermelon rinds, coffee grounds—the
list is long. Avoid dairy and meat products, oils,
and oily foods because these foods can cause
odors and attract animals and insects. Also
don’t add citrus and bananas, as they may
have fruit fly eggs on their skins.
14
15. Add food scraps to the worm bin by digging a
hole in the bedding at one corner of the bin and
burying the scraps in the bedding. The next
day, bury the scraps at the alternate corner of
the bin and move down the sides of the bin
alternating sides every day. Some people simply
add food scraps to the top of the bedding. This
method works, but it can cause odors. If your
bin gets ripe, simply add more bedding mate-
rial to the bin. Add some fresh bedding at least
every two months.
Harvesting your compost
As the worms eat their way through the materi-
als in your bin, the contents of the bin darken
and begin to smell moist and earthy. This is the
vermicompost (worm compost), your finished
product. Vermicompost is full of nutrients
necessary to promote strong, healthy plant
growth.
There are a couple of easy ways to harvest your
vermicompost. One way is to carefully move
the finished compost to one side of the bin, and
fill the empty side with fresh, moist bedding
material. Give the worms 4 or 5 weeks to move
over to the new bedding materials, and then
remove the finished vermicompost.
15
16. Another method is to put a can filled with food
scraps into the finished compost. Punch holes in
the sides and the bottom of the can large
enough for the worms to enter. In 4 or 5 weeks
the can should be filled with worms. The fin-
ished compost can be removed from the bin
without the worms. Remember to refill the bin
with fresh, moist bedding material.
Using worm compost
Worm compost (vermicompost) is a rich soil
enhancer. It contains many nutrients needed to
grow strong, healthy plants both in your house
and in your garden. Some of the ways it can be
used:
• Mix with peat moss, garden loam, vermicu-
lite or sand to make potting soil.
• Sprinkled on your houseplants soil as a top
dressing.
• Spread 1 inch thick on the surface of your
garden or dig it into soil.
• Added by the handful when you transplant
vegetables and other plants in your garden.
Commonly-asked Questions
What is compost?
Compost is a soil-like material rich in stabilized
carbon produced from the breakdown of or-
ganic materials (materials that contain car-
bon). Most compost is considered a soil condi-
tioner (or soil amendment), not a fertilizer,
because compost usually doesn't contain very
high levels of macro-nutrients (nitrogen, phos-
phorus, and potassium - or N, P, K). However,
compost may provide low levels of macro and
trace nutrients essential to plant growth. The
primary benefit of compost is that it increases
soil organic matter. This improves soil water
holding capacity and soil physical properties,
16
17. and allows for greater plant root penetration. It
also increases soil biodiversity (number and
type of microbes and other small creatures in
the soil), which helps plants obtain nutrients
from soil, and maintains a balance among
organisms to help prevent outbreaks of disease
causing organisms. Aerobic composting (mean-
ing composting with air, or oxygen) produces
the best quality compost for agricultural and
silvacultural use (including lawns and gardens).
Compost should not contain toxic substances at
concentrations that would negatively impact
the health of human or plants.
What is composting?
Composting is the process that uses microor-
ganisms, carbon and nitrogen food, moisture
and oxygen to convert plant materials such as
grass clippings, leaves, and other organic
materials to compost, a more usable organic
soil amendment.
What is mulch?
The term "mulch" is used differently by different
people. Perhaps most often, mulch refers to
materials that are placed on the ground sur-
face, around plantings or trees, to prevent
weeds from emerging and to help retain soil
moisture. Leaves or grass clippings can be used
around vegetable plants, and wood bark or
17
18. chips can be used around woody stemmed and
forest type plants. (Before bringing wood mulch
onto your property, learn more to make sure it
won't be a source of disease or insects.) How-
ever, the term mulch, or mulching, may also
describe any organic material (processed or not)
that is mixed into the soil.
What is mulching?
Mulching is using unprocessed yard materials
as a soil cover around plants, shrubs, and trees
to enhance moisture retention and suppress
weed growth. Yard materials mulch includes
grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, pine needles
and bark. Don’t use grass treated with herbi-
cides for mulch. You can also mulch grass
clippings right on the lawn with a mower to
add free nitrogen fertilizer.
What are yard materials?
Yard materials are leaves, grass clippings, yard
and garden debris, and brush no greater than 6
inches in diameter. Included as yard materials
are raw garden vegetable plants, tree seeds,
pine needles, weeds, flowering plants, seeds,
small woody materials, and pine cones.
When should I start my composting?
Start your pile any time in spring, summer or
fall. Be sure to save several bags of leaves in fall
so you have carbon to use in July when you
have lots of grass and garden debris.
Do compost piles freeze in winter?
Home compost piles usually freeze during
Wisconsin winters, but will restart on their own
when they thaw in spring. Approximately 64
cubic feet of materials is needed to prevent
freezing, and this amount of material may
remain somewhat active, meaning decomposi-
tion may continue to occur, but at a greatly
reduced rate. A much larger amount of mate-
18
19. rial, probably too much for a home composter
to manage, or an insulated bin, would be
needed to maintain a hot composting pile
through winter.
How does composting fight plant
diseases?
Compost can fight some plant diseases either
through competition of micro-organisms or
from chemicals produced in the compost.
Why are pet wastes not acceptable to use
in compost?
Pet wastes from cats, dogs, meat eating animals
and birds contain pathogens (disease organ-
isms) which can be transmitted to humans.
These pathogens are destroyed by high heat,
but home composting may not be sufficiently
mixed, and all materials may not reach the
necessary temperatures. Manure from plant
eating animals can be composted safely but
should be done only in a hot pile.
Can I add pine needles to my compost?
Pine needles are high in acid and resin, which
can make them difficult to compost. These
make a good mulch for acid loving plants such
as lilies of the valley, blueberries, raspberries,
blackberries, roses and conifers. The best use of
pine needles is to leave them under the pine
tree where they fall. Pine
needles condition the soil
and protect the
shallow root
system of their
parent tree.
No more than 10 percent of a mixed yard
material pile should be pine needles. Some
gardeners compost pine needles with leaves or
another carbon source separately for their acid
loving plants.
19
20. Can I add oak leaves to my compost?
Oak leaves compost well, but a little slower.
Although they are acidic, the compost process is
a great neutralizer. Once oak leaves are
composted, the finished compost will have a pH
close to neutral. To help oak leaves break down
faster in a compost pile, consider using your
lawn mower to chop them into finer pieces
before adding them to your pile. This will
expose more surface area to the microorgan-
isms and speed up the compost process.
Can I use agriculture lime on my compost
pile?
Lime is not recommended as it can harm micro-
organisms, cause ammonia odors and slow the
composting process.
Can I add toxic weeds or plants to my
compost pile?
Many of the native plants and weeds in Wis-
consin that produce toxins
(black walnut or
butternut leaves,
nightshade, monks-
hood, etc.) can be
added to your com-
post pile. Compost
these in small
amounts only. How-
ever, black walnut or
butternut leaves should not be used as mulch
(without prior composting). To identify a
specific plant and see if it is toxic, check with
the local library or the local county extension
agent before adding it to your compost pile or
using it as mulch.
20
21. Where should I put my Compost Pile?
Here are some guidelines on where to locate
your compost pile:
• Within reach of water with a garden hose.
• In a convenient area near garden or house.
• Protected from direct winds.
• In a spot with good drainage.
• Three feet away from buildings to eliminate
heat and moisture damage from the
composting process.
• Away from neighbors' windows.
What if I don’t have enough materials to
start a compost pile?
Sometimes you will end up with too much of
one type of material, and not enough of an-
other. Here are some suggestions for balancing
out your compost pile:
Not Enough Grass: You will need to add another
nitrogen source to your compost. Add a 2-inch
layer of livestock manure, or 1 cup of 10-10-10
fertilizer per 25 square feet of top surface area
with a 3 foot depth.
Not Enough Leaves: Grass is a high source of
nitrogen and is small in size and easily com-
pacts. Grass must be mixed with some bulking
material such as wood, leaves, plant stalks or
chips to provide a carbon source and allow air
to circulate through the pile. Composting grass
without a bulking material can create a strong
ammonia smell.
Does a composting require a license or
approval?
Usually compost piles are fine as long as they
are maintained in a nuisance free manner.
However, check with your local municipality to
see if there are any backyard composting rules.
Your local community may have additional
requirements or limitations on backyard
composting of food scraps. Composting of only
21
22. yard materials, vegetable wastes and manure, if
less than 50 cubic yards in size at one time,
does not require an approval or license from the
DNR.
Will the compost pile smell bad?
It shouldn’t. A properly-tended pile won’t create
unpleasant odors. Turning the pile to add
oxygen or adding a bulking carbon source
should end an odor problem quickly. Finished
compost has a pleasant earthy, greenhouse
smell.
Will the compost pile attract animals?
You might see animals around your compost
pile if you are composting food scraps improp-
erly. Food scraps should be buried 8- 10 inches
into the center of an enclosed compost pile. DO
NOT throw food scraps on top of your compost
pile at any time! Animals will come around if
you supply them with an easy food source.
What happens to pesticides when they
are composted?
Pesticides include herbicides (weed killers),
fungicides (fungus killers) and insecticides
(insect killers). Most pesticides which are cur-
rently available to homeowners are degradable
organophosphates. The active ingredients in
most pesticides usually break down in 6-8
weeks.
Grass clippings or weeds treated with pesti-
cides can be safely mixed into a compost pile
or mulched back onto your lawn.
WARNING: Uncomposted grass and weeds
treated with pesticides should not be used as a
garden mulch. Pesticide treated yard materials
don’t know the difference between plants and
insects you want to keep and weeds and bugs
you want to kill.
22
23. References
This brochure is designed to answer some of the
common questions people have about
composting and yard management. If you are
interested in more information on the topics
discussed in this brochure, check with your local
library for the following publications:
www.uwex.edu/ces/shwec. UW-Extension
SHWEC – Composting information, bin plans
and resources and vermicomposting
Compost Indoors!: Worms do the Work.
Applehof, Mary. Organic Gardening (pp. 58-
63), January, 1992.
Worms Eat My Garbage, 2nd edition.
Applehof, Mary.,Flowerfield Press, l997.
Backyard Composting Brown, Deborah &
Carl Rosen. Minnesota Extension Service,
University of Minnesota, Agriculture, 1990.
Let It Rot!: The Gardeners Guide to
Composting. Stu Campbell, Storoey Books,
1990.
The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy
Methods for Every Gardener, Debra Marin,
et. al. 1992.
Backyard Composting: Your Complete
Guide To Recycling Yard Clippings. Har-
monious Technologies. Ojai, CA, 1992.
UW Extension
A3383 - Mulches for Home Harrison, H.C
A3384 - Specialized Gardening Tech-
niques Harrison, H.C, 1991
A1989 - The Vegetable Garden. Harrison,
H.C., 1992
23
24. Other Resources:
For more information on composting or DNR
yard waste regulations, contact your municipal
recycling staff, a County Extension Agent, or a
DNR recycling specialist.
Other yard waste management brochures
available from DNR are:
PUB-WA-072, Home Composting: Reap A Heap of
Benefits
PUB-WA-073 2004, Yard Care: Do Your Share!
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
608/266-2111
Illustrations: Joal Morris
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides
equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services
and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you
have any questions, please write to Equal Opportunity
Office, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
20240.
This publication is available in alternate format (large
print, Braille, audio tape, etc.) upon request. Call 608-266-
2111 for more information.
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