1. Director, Horticultural Business Solutions Inc.
COMPOSTING
Frances L. Chandler, Ph.D
Director, Horticultural Business Solutions Inc.

2. What is composting? Production of a useful material from organic waste
Tiny micro-organisms break down useless material into valuable material which can be used to amend soil texture and fertility
Vermiculture uses earthworms
to produce vermicompost
The California Red earthworm
is the best type for composting

3. Why make compost?
(Slide 1 of 2)
It is in the national interest, since waste disposal is critical
About 50% of landfill waste is organic and can be composted
Up to 19% increase in sugar cane yields have been obtained by adding compost
From a personal point of view, it is a cheap form of fertilizer for your garden

4. Why make compost? You are contributing to protecting the environment
(Slide 2 of 2)
You are contributing to protecting the environment
You are enriching the soil and improving the health of the plants on your property
Vegetables and fruits fed with compost will themselves be beneficial to human health

5. Benefits of Compost to the Soil
Returns the major elements – nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, as well as trace elements, to the soil
These elements are later released for use by plant roots
Improves soil aeration and drainage
Improves tilth …. lightens heavy soils and gives very sandy soils water-holding capacity
Reduces erosion
May be used as a mulch to help conserve moisture

6. Why Some People Avoid Composting
They think:
It will smell
It will harbour flies and rodents
It will be too much work
This is not so, as long as the correct materials are used in the correct way

7. How to Make Compost
Compost is made all the time in nature. The resulting material is absorbed by the soil, and plant roots use the nutrients
You can use as simple or as sophisticated a method as you wish
The simplest, but not the most attractive, way is to dig a hole and deposit your kitchen scraps and garden clippings into it
A more attractive method, but just as simple, is to use some type of container to hold the waste material and allow composting to take place

8. Types of Composters
A stone structure with a mesh platform through which the compost falls and is collected at the bottom. The front can be made of wooden slats which are removable for easy access to the finished product
The more sophisticated composter is shown here

9. Types of Composters A bank of tyres, with a wooden cover
These are inexpensive and easy to use and are not an eye sore in your garden. They are covered and have air vents

10. Requirements for Making Good Compost
Air, moisture and organic material
A good mix of “green” (nitrogenous) and “brown” (carbon) material
2 parts green to 1 part brown works well
A good mix of “wet” (kitchen waste) and “dry” (garden clippings)
The finer the material the quicker the process will be
Addition of a little inorganic fertilizer or animal manure will help to speed up the process
Turning of the material every week helps to speed up the process (from 8 months to 2 months), eliminate odours and matting, keep the pile aerobic

11. Collecting Your Materials
Place a plastic bag or container in or underneath your sink
Place eggshells, tea bags, vegetable peelings, paper napkins, stale bread, coffee grounds, etc. in the container
Empty this every two days or so into your composter
Collect grass clippings, leaves and small twigs in a pile in the garden. If larger branches are used, they should be shredded before placing in the composter.
Do not use meat, dairy products, grease or bones. They will smell as well as attract rodents and will take long to break down
Do not use weeds which have seeded

12. Siting Your Composter Near backdoor or in garden Near source of water
Out of full sun to prevent overheating
On bare ground for good drainage
Away from large trees
Roots will absorb nutrients from compost

13. Think of compost as an investment in the soil and plants around your house The “bank” is the natural environment and your investment is “black gold” The dividend is a cleaner, healthier planet.

15. THE END