1. Biocomposting Why compost?
Contributes to sustainable lifestyle along with recycling
Reduces landfill waste by weight
Yard waste (9%)
Food waste (15%)
Reduces landfill waste by volume
Yard waste (8%)
Food waste (6%)

2. Why Compost?

3. Why Compost? Adds nutrients to soil – feed the soil, not the plant!
Compost is a natural fertilizer
Compost is primarily humus – organic soil matter which allows for easy flow of water and air to growing plants

4. Yard Waste Composting
Left to decompose naturally, leaves can take up to 2 years to break down into humus
Outdoor composting accelerates this process
(4 to 18 months)

5. Yard Waste Composting
Many different types available – from simple mounds to 3 stage bins and everything in between!

6. Vegetable garden scraps
Yard Waste Composting
Recipe
Layer equal parts of green and brown waste
Pile should be kept as moist as a wrung-out sponge
Allow the pile to “bake” at 90 to 140 degrees
Turn the pile to let in air – the more you turn, the faster it decomposes
Green Waste
Grass clippings
Green leaves
Vegetable garden scraps
Floral clippings
Brown Waste
Twigs
Dry leaves
Straw
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper

7. Vermiculture
The use of specially bred earthworms, to aerate soil and convert organic matter into compost; also called vermicomposting
Easy winter composting
Manageable size
Very fine compost- no screening needed

8. Vermiculture is…. Composting with red worms (Eisenia foetida) for:
Fishing worms
To get rid of kitchen wastes
To create the “perfect” soil for houseplants
Saves money and the environment

9. To get started you need…
Bedding for the worms
Shredded paper
Torn up newspaper
Old bark mulch
Peat moss or hay
Dried leaves
Sticky parts on envelopes
Water
Crushed egg shells (for calcium)
Sand or dirt (for grit)
Lime (so the soil stays “sweet”)

10. You need a container… Wooden box Cardboard box Clay pots
Clean trash barrels

11. Avoid freezing temperatures
Keep moist
Feed the worms

12. Feed

13. Also feed Fruit peeling, cores Vegetable trimmings Rotten potatoes
Coffee grounds and tea bags
Corn cobs
House plant trimmings

14. Be cautious about… Fats or cheeses Too much citrus rinds
Horse bedding (may be toxic)
Meat and bones

15. How do worms produce compost?
Worms eat organic matter and pass it through their digestive systems, producing castings, or “worm poop”

16. Harvesting To keep the bin going…
Remove half of the bedding and replace it with fresh materials….
The worms will follow!

17. Harvesting for Worms When all the fresh food is gone…
Empty out the contents into a conical pile
Shine a light on the pile
The worms will migrate down
Collect the worms

18. What else lives in the bin?
isopod (sowbug)
fruit fly
mite
centipede
white or pot worms
mold spores
springtail
millipede

19. Responsible Composting
Do not compost invasive weed species
Seeds of certain plants such as garlic, mustard and honeysuckle can live in the seed bank for decades
Freeze vermicompost before using it in your yard, especially if your gardens are close to woodland areas
Worm egg casings or cocoons can hatch and spread to new areas
Earthworm invasion began with European settlement
Invasions continue through improper dumping of fish bait, mulch/compost, tyre treads, road building, landscaping, any activity that moves soil

20. Worms effects on the environment
Soil in uninvaded forests has a rich humus layer called “duff” and is covered with a layer of leaf litter

21. Soil Effects
Soil in uninvaded forest
Soil in invaded forest