Composting at Home - workshop slides

Outline
I. What is composting?
II. Why compost? Benefits & myths
III. Composter placement & assembly
IV. How to operate & maintain
V. Common problems & solutions
VI. Resources
VII. Program details
VIII. Q&A, discussion & evaluation
Objectives
I.
To give you the information and tools
you need to successfully compost
II. To highlight the benefits and bust the
myths about composting
III. To ensure you understand the
program commitment
What is composting?
Recycling organic materials:
• In nature organics decompose to become
humus
• Copy this process with kitchen & yard waste
• Decomposition is just breaking down material
so it can be used again
Why compost?
Improves yard and garden:
• Improves plant growth
• Reduces need for fertilizers and
herbicides
• Releases nutrients slowly
• You know what’s in it
• Safe for children and pets
• Free!
Why compost?
Helps conserve and protect water:
• Reduces the need to water
• Keeps rivers and creeks healthier
• Decreases erosion and run-off
Why compost?
Helps the environment:
• Reduces waste sent to
landfill by up to half
• Recycles organic waste
back to the earth
• Reduces trucks and
landfill space needed
• Reduces greenhouse gas
emissions
Why compost?
Improves your city:
• Goal to reduce
residential waste to
landfill by 10% by 2015
• Reduce strain on
waste management
and waste water
systems (garburator
use)
Residential Waste Disposal (2002)
(Source: NRCAN 2006)
The average
Albertan disposes
Plastics, 10%
Metal, 2%
289 kg of
Glass, 3%
Paper, 21%
Organics,
49%
Other, 12%
Hazardous Renovation,
2%
Waste, 11%
residential waste
every year
Myths about composting
I have no use for finished compost.
FALSE: excellent slow-release soil amendment for
lawns, trees and shrubs.
Composting takes a lot of time and effort.
FALSE: takes only 15 minutes a week.
Composting is smelly, messy and will attract pests.
FALSE: proper compost techniques will eliminate these
issues.
I don’t have enough organic waste to bother.
FALSE: organics are one-third to one-half of household
waste.
Placing & assembling your
composter
• Space: 50 cm x 50 cm; 1
m high
• Sunniest convenient spot
• Level and well drained
• On soil, grass, concrete;
not on wood or vinyl
• Can be moved
Compost Ingredients
Greens
Compost Ingredients
Browns
Compost Ingredients
Water
Soil
Sun
What doesn’t go in the composter?
Compost Recipe
Repeat
Shovel of soil (once)
5-10 cm greens
Wet the pile
5-10 cm dry browns
5 cm of twigs
Activity:
Build your own
compost pile
The more effort you put in, the more compost you’ll get out.
Continue Layering
Save your browns!
Add moisture
as needed
Mix often to speed
the process
Compost thermometer
to tell if it’s cooking
What’s happening?
- Microbe farm: bacteria, fungi, protozoa
- Heat is a by-product of break down
- Want it to get hot: >40 degrees for 5
days
When is my compost ready?
- Look and feel like topsoil: dark, crumbly
- Smell earthy
- Should not be able to identify original
material
- Centre of the pile is not hot
How do I harvest my compost?
• Dig out of the bottom of the bin
• Or remove unfinished from the top, set
aside and take from bottom
• Can screen it
How do I use my compost?
- Dig into vegetable or flower beds
- Planting: mix 1/3 compost with 2/3 soil
- Place around root zone of trees and
shrubs
- Top dress lawn
- Mulch perennial beds
- Compost tea
Troubleshooting
Symptom
Problem
Solution
Smells like
rotten eggs
-Compaction
or not
enough air
-Too much
moisture
Too many
greens
-Aerate; turn
several times
Smells like
ammonia
-Add browns
Add browns
and aerate
Troubleshooting
Symptom
Problem
Solution
Pests
- Flies like
fruit
- Mice,
wasps & ants
like dry piles
- Magpies,
dogs &
skunks like
animal
products
Do not add
meat, grains,
cooked food;
bury freshly
added scraps
in pile or
cover in
browns; keep
pile moist
Troubleshooting
Symptom
Problem
Solution
Process is
slow
Not enough
surface area
Not heating
up
Lack
moisture or
greens
Make pieces
smaller: 2025 cm or 810”
Add moisture
and/or
greens
Troubleshooting
Letting your composter
go wild:
1.Bylaw officer will
investigate complaint
2. If complaint is found to valid:
a. warned first by letter
b. fines starting at $200
c. The City could clean it up
and bill you
FAQ
1. Can I compost over the winter?
Yes. The cold will stop or drastically slow
the process but you can continue to
add materials year round.
2. What do I do with compost I can’t use?
If you have no lawn, garden, trees or
plants of any kind gift it to a gardener;
Freecycle
FAQ
3. Can I compost weeds?
With caution, when the seeds are green
or dried. Don’t add quack grass, anything
diseased, anything treated with
pesticides/herbicides or rhubarb leaves.
4. Can I compost pet feces?
Not in your backyard composter.
FAQ
5. Do I need a commercial compost
starter or accelerator?
No. These typically contain nitrogen
(found in greens), protein or dehydrated
bacteria. Use the proper mix of browns
and greens, and a scoop of garden soil to
introduce organisms.
Program details
Training
- Workshop
- Package: brochure from AB Environment, kitchen
catcher prompt sticker
Tools
- Composter, kitchen catcher, Wing-digger
- Trash tracker
Commitment
- Contract: present it to get your tools
- Live in the city of Red Deer
- Want to learn to compost
- Commit for one year
- Measure and report: Trash Tracker & final survey
Timeline
- Follow up: on-site visit and/or phone call in
summer/fall
- Submit Trash Tracker in May/June 2013
- Exit survey May/June 2013
Resources
How to get help:
403-342-8750
[email protected]
Online:
www.reddeer.ca/composting
Wrap up
Thanks to:
Shell FuellingChange: www.fuellingchange.com
Kerry Wood Nature Centre
Parks
Waste Management
One Simple Act
•
•
•
Sign contracts & submit Trash Trackers
Do workshop evaluation
Q&A, discussion