BASIC COMPOSTING

What is Composting?

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter,

such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that
can enrich soil and plants.
The resulting decomposed matter, which often ends up
looking like fertile garden soil, is called compost
referred to by farmers as “black gold,” compost is rich in
nutrients and can be used for gardening, horticulture, and
agriculture.
COMPOST
 How composting works?
During composting, microorganisms eat the organic
(carbon containing) waste and break it down into its
simplest parts. This produces a fiber-rich, carbon-
containing humus with inorganic nutrients like nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium. The microorganisms break
the material down through aerobic respiration.
 What is composting used for?
• return organic matter and nutrients to the soil in a form readily
useable to plants. Organic matter improves plant growth by helping to
break heavy clay soils into a better texture, by adding water and nutrient-
holding capacity to sandy soils, and by adding essential nutrients to any
soil
• Composting reduces the need for pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
• Compost can be used as a soil amendment or as a mulch
Why Compost at Home?
 Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It is one of the most powerful actions we can
take to reduce our trash, address climate change, and build healthy soil. By turning our
food scraps and yard trim into compost, we can transform our waste streams into a
beneficial, value-added soil amendment and use it to protect the environment , and
manage your waste more sustainably.
 You reduce the volume of materials that might otherwise be disposed in landfills - leaves,
grass clippings, yard trim, and food scraps – and prevent powerful greenhouse gases from
being emitted into the atmosphere.
 Composting involves minimal effort, equipment, expense, and expertise, and can be fun.
 You save money by producing a free, high quality soil amendment – compost,
which reduces your use of fertilizer and pesticides.
 You can use your compost to build healthier soil, conserve water, and improve plant
growth in your garden and yard.
1. On-site composting:
By using this method of organic waste composting, you can recycle your
food waste and garden waste into products for your farming and gardening
needs. It is widely used at homes because on-site composting does not
require sizeable sized pile or hard techniques and requires minimal
attention. On top of that, this type can also be used even when you don’t
have a huge backyard or space; you just an old bin or a container, and all
your waste are ready for recycling.
Types of materials:
• Materials that can be used for this type is composting varies from kitchen scraps
such as cooked or uncooked fruits or vegetables, eggshells of eggs from your
morning pancakes, coffee ground from your morning coffee. You can also use
cardboard and papers too, dead leaves, and branches from your lawn, and it can
all be recycled into fertilizers and other farming products.
Things to keep in mind:
• Since this method is for the small size of the pile, so the process takes place in
the compost bin itself. The food waste composting process doesn’t get affected
by climatic or seasonal factors, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to take
any measures about it. You should place the bin in some corners, which should
dry and shady. Also, glass and metal waste should be taken out of the bin.
• Process Time:
It generally takes about a year or two to complete the process,
but if you turn the pile time to time during the procedure, the
process can speed up by three to six months.
 2. Vermicomposting:
Different worms are used in this method of decomposing organic matter. Worms
such as earthworms, red wigglers, etc., are added into the pile, and then these worms
will eat and breakdown these materials into fertilizers.
The African Nightcrawler, Eudrilus Eugeniae (Scientific Name), is truly an amazing
composting worm. African Nightcrawlers have a unique coloring, being a mix of
grey and purple. They have huge appetites, they will eat up to 150% of their own
body weight each day if given the proper environment and proper amount of food.
They eat more food per day than any other composting worm.
Types Of Materials:
• The materials which are used in this method of composting are not very different
from other types of composting. Water and oxygen are essential materials.
Process time – It just takes one to three months of composting of all the organic
materials to turn into organic fertilizer, which means this process takes less time and
effort.
3. Windrow Composting:
• This composting is a large-scale composting method in farming
because this method requires a large size of the site where you can mix
the organic materials into long and thin piles known as wind-rows. It
is sometimes built-in shelters and aerated by use of other cooling
machines, but mostly, it is set out outside in the open.
Types Of Materials:
• Farming wastes such as animal residues or manures and crop
remaining are excellent sources of composting.
4. In-vessel composting:
It is a combination of different types of composting, it is less
downside than others, but it can produce a large size of compost. It
isn’t as simple process as the other types. It is done professionally by
using organic waste converter machines and other electrical
equipment, which eases the adjustment of temperature, aeration, and
turning skills
 This process of composting is slightly expensive as it uses machines
and some electrical equipment.
Types of materials: All kinds of waste, including brown materials like
grass, twigs, manure, etc. as well as green materials like lawn clipping, fruit
rind, etc. found in the garbage bins or farming fields are a good source of in-
vessel composting. Other waste that comes from industrial waste can also be
collected and can be turned into compost.
Process Time:
The process of in-vessel composting generally requires a few weeks and does
not take a long time to get finished.
Ingredients for Composting
Carbon-rich materials (‘’Browns’’) can include dry
leaves, plant stalks,and twigs, and paper. The carbon
rich materials provide food for the microorganism to
consume and digest.
Nitrogen-rich materials (‘’Greens’’) includes grass
clippings and food scraps. They heat up the pile to
create ideal conditions for the material to breakdown.
Water (moisture)
Air (oxygen)
What You Can Compost at Home What to Avoid Composting at Home

Nitrogen-Rich Material (“Greens”) Meat, fish and bones

Food and vegetable scraps Cheese and dairy products

Most grass clippings and yard trim Pet waste and cat litter

Coffee grounds and paper filters Produce stickers

Paper tea bags (no staples) Fats, oils and greases

Eggshells (crushed) Glossy paper

Treated or painted wood

Carbon-Rich Materials (“Browns”) Aggressive weeds/weeds with seeds

Dry leaves Diseased and pest-infested plants

Plant stalks and twigs Compostable food service ware and compostable bags*

Shredded paper (non-glossy, not colored) and shredded brown bags Cooked food (small amounts are fine)

Shredded cardboard (no wax coating, tape, or glue) Herbicide treated plants

Untreated wood chips Dryer lint

SIMPLE STEPS FOR BACKYARD
COMPOST
1. Find Your Ideal Spot
Select a dry shady area that is away from your house but close enough for your garden
hose to reach.
you can also compost directly on the ground
Some recommend adding a base layer of mulch, woody or bushy material, to promote
aeration, but that’s optional.
2. Build Your Pile
Alternate layers of brown (carbon) and green (nitrogen) material and aim for a 4:1 ratio of
browns to greens. Browns include dry leaves, sawdust or small wood chips, and shredded
newspaper or cardboard. Greens include grass clippings, food waste, and garden waste
like weeds or green trimmings. Aim for layers that are a few inches deep and use your
garden hose to moisten the material as you build. Make sure any food scraps are covered
with a layer of brown materials to prevent flies and smells.
3. Mix Often and Keep It Moist
The more often you mix or turn your pile, the faster it will decompose. You can
use a shovel or a rake to mix. Be sure to mix the pile thoroughly at a minimum
of once every two weeks. And use your garden hose to add moisture if you
notice your pile is dry.
4. Cover to Retain Heat, Moisture, and Nutrients
Cover your pile with a tarp or an old scrap of carpet. This will trap the heat and
aid your compost . It will also prevent nutrient loss in case it rains. While rain is
a welcome sight for your plants, it will wash the nutrients out of your compost
and deposit them into the ground below.
Composting mistakes and how to avoid them:

Incorrect Ratio of Browns and Greens

This ratio should be 3 parts brown to 1 part green to make sure you
have enough carbon and nitrogen for the decomposition process.
Composting the Wrong Materials
Animal-based food scraps (meat, dairy, etc.) should not be added to
your compost because they smell as they decompose and attract pests.
Not Aerating Your Pile
To ensure your pile gets adequate oxygen you should stir or turn the
pile two times a week or at least two times a month
Constantly Adding to Your Compost
 Continually adding to your pile or bin means you'll never have
mature compost. You should have at least two piles or bins at a time
so that you can have one finished compost, one to add to, and one that
is ready to go.
Many avoid building a compost pile for fear of attracting
pests or foul smells, be sure to leave out any meat, grease, or
dairy products.
Also, be sure to turn your pile often and keeping it moist to
deter pests. If rodents or other animals are a high concern,
consider using a compost bin.
Note:
The larger your compost pile is, the longer it will take to
decompose. If you want a finished compost quickly, you must
decompose a smaller pile.
• Dig the hole for your compost pit. Your compost
hole should be about 1 ft (30.5 cm) deep. The area
of the hole will be determined by the amount of
organic matter you want to add. At most, the
compost material should reach a depth of 4 in (10
cm) in the pit.
• If you have a lot of compost material, you can dig a
deeper pit, but avoid going deeper than about 3.2 ft
(1 m). Important decomposing organisms cannot
live beneath this depth
Building a Composting Pile

• A composting pile is a simple heap of yard waste.

• In order to keep the pile manageable, try to limit the size to 5 feet high
and 5 feet wide.
• Contain the heap by piling it against an existing wire fence or digging
a 10 – 15 inch pit beneath it.
SIGNS THAT YOUR COMPOST IS READY TO USE

The pile has shrunk significantly, up to one-half of its

original volume;
The original organic materials that you put in are no
longer recognizable for what they were;
The compost has a dark crumbly appearance and has an
earthy odor.
Common Composting problems
encounter
Symptom Probable Cause Suggested Remedy

The pile has a bad odor Not enough air or too wet Turn pile thoroughly

The center of the pile is dry Not enough water Moisten materials while turning pile

The pile is damp and warm in the Pile is too small Collect more material and mix old material into a new pile
middle, but nowhere else

The pile is sweet smelling, but still Lack of nitrogen Mix in a nitrogen source such as fresh grass clippings,
will not heat up fresh manure, bloodmeal, or a commercial fertilizer high
in nitrogen
Compost application to soil:
 add compost to your flower and vegetable beds, mix it with potting soil for indoor plants; or
spread it on top of the soil on your lawn.
 As a soil amendment, mix in two to four inches of compost to the top six to nine inches of
your soil.
 As a mulch, loosen the top two to three inches of soil and add a three-inch layer of compost
on the surface, a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks.

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Thank you
