Composting:

the rotten truth

Anne Kolaczyk
Purdue University Master Gardener
©2006Anne Kolaczyk
Composting
Composting is the transformation of
organic material (plant matter) through
decomposition into a soil-like material
called compost.

Invertebrates (insects and earthworms),

and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi)
help in this transformation.
Kinds
 Bin composting
 Tumbler composting
 Sunken pail composting
 Sheet composting
 Anaerobic composting
 Vermicomposting
Why do it
 Environmentally responsible
 Keeps biodegradable waste out of
landfills and sewage plants
 Alternative to burning
 Gives you a vibrant garden
without chemical fertilizers
 Saves money
 Learning tool
What it involves
 Adding ingredients
 Maintaining proper temperature
 Turning
 Maintaining moisture
 Harvesting
Bin composting

“backyard composting”
Composting bins
 Ready made
 Homemade
 Bin-less pile
Ready made
 Expensive
 Limited capacity
 Good if space is an
issue
Homemade
 Three bins are best
 One to fill
 One that’s “cooking”
 One to turn others into or to draw from
Bin-less pile
 Just a pile with no partitions
 Hard to maintain sufficient depth to
achieve high enough temperatures
 Easy and nothing to build
 Moveable
What you can compost
 Yard waste
 Kitchen scraps
 Newspaper
 Cardboard
What not to compost
 Meat scraps
 Bones
 Dairy products
 Pet waste
 Diseased plants
 Invasive weeds
C:N ratio
 Should be 30 parts carbon to 1 part
nitrogen by weight
 Grass Clippings 19:1
 Leaves 40:1
 Equal weight of each would give you
approximately 30:1 ratio for pile
What’s what
 Brown (Carbon)  Green (Nitrogen)
 Leaves  Grass clippings
 Dirt  Plant clippings
 Grocery bags  Fertilizer
 Bird seed hulls  Coffee grounds
 Wood chips
C:N ratio, my take

Whatever!
Care of compost
 Passive
 Let sit
 Takes months and months
 Active
 Turn often
 Keep moist (H2O 40-60% of weight)
 Have proper ratio of C:N (30:1)
 2-6 weeks (depending on ingredients)
 Let’s get real
Concerns Solutions
I don’t have room Use commercial bin

It takes too long  Maintain proper conditions

 Cut up large pieces

It smells Not if you maintain C:N ratio

Temps too low to kill Use local community composting
diseases, fungi, weed seeds facility for problem pieces,
compost the rest
Attracts animals Bury food waste in center
Uses
 Early stages as mulch
 Keeps weeds from growing
 Helps retain moisture
 Beneficial minerals go into soil
 Later stages for soil amending
 Enriches soil
 Helps with moisture retention
 Removes/reduces need for chemical
fertilizers that leach into our ground water
What method is right for me???
 How much space do I have?
 Is it indoor or outdoor or both?
 What do I want to compost?
 How much waste do I have a week?
 How and where do I want to use the compost?
 How much time can I spend on it a week?
 What’s my ewww! factor?
 How committed am I to composting?
Resources
 Purdue Extension office
 Library
 Internet
 Bin

Anaerobic
Just do it! Tumbler

composting

Vermi Pail

Sheet