Composting

Why compost? To create humus- soil high in nutrients and useful for plant growth To re-use what already exists instead of making more waste and harming the environment Nature All Around Us

How do you make compost? Creatures called decomposers eat living things or things that used to be alive, like banana peels Things that are living or used to live are called organic.

What do you need to make compost? These organic things have Nitrogen and Carbon in them, 2 things we need in order to have healthy soil Brown organic stuff, like straw, has Carbon in it Green organic stuff, like tiny pieces of grass, have Nitrogen in them

What do Carbon and Nitrogen do? Plants use Carbon in the soil to grow, stay healthy, and reproduce. After Nitrogen is broken up into smaller things, plants use this to make proteins which help them stay strong.

What kinds of things make brown stuff in your compost? Straw Shredded newspaper Shredded cardboard Paper towel Small branches/twigs

What kinds of things make green stuff in your compost? Coffee grounds Fresh pieces of grass Alfalfa Kitchen scraps

What kinds of things can you not put in your compost? Plastic Oil Pet waste Colored newspaper*

What are the steps to making our own compost pile? 1.Start with a layer of brown stuff- several inches thick 2.Add several a layer of green stuff- several inches thick 3.Add a thin layer of soil 4.Add a layer of brown stuff 5.Moisten the soil a little bit 6.Turn it every couple of weeks to bring air into it

And now… some fun!