Value of CompostValue of Compost

Joan HarrisonJoan HarrisonSaskatchewan Waste Saskatchewan Waste

Reduction CouncilReduction Council

Why is compost Why is compost valuable?valuable?

Mature compost is Mature compost is fast food for soil. fast food for soil.

It is a mixture of It is a mixture of soil microbes and soil microbes and slow to break down slow to break down organic materials organic materials on their way to on their way to becoming humus.becoming humus.

Dirt + Compost= SoilDirt + Compost= Soil Soil keeps the earth green and us fed!

Why bother to make Why bother to make compost?compost?

Composting reduces the weight and Composting reduces the weight and volume of materials (50% or more).volume of materials (50% or more).

You can handle many different types You can handle many different types of materials in one system.of materials in one system.

The end product is moveable and can The end product is moveable and can be placed where needed.be placed where needed.

Weed seeds and plant disease Weed seeds and plant disease organisms are killed if the there is a organisms are killed if the there is a prolonged heating phase.prolonged heating phase.

Benefits of compost useBenefits of compost use BiologicalBiological

ChemicalChemical

PhysicalPhysical

BiologicalBiological Boosts beneficial Boosts beneficial

bacteria and fungi bacteria and fungi populations in the populations in the soilsoil

Helps prevent plant Helps prevent plant diseases – the diseases – the beneficial microbes beneficial microbes out compete the out compete the problem ones.problem ones.

Bacteria

Fungi

ChemicalChemical Compost acts as a slow release Compost acts as a slow release

fertilizer. Most of the nutrients are fertilizer. Most of the nutrients are stored in the bodies of the microbes stored in the bodies of the microbes and are released as wastes by larger and are released as wastes by larger organisms that eat them.organisms that eat them.

The slow to degrade ‘humus’ The slow to degrade ‘humus’ material can hold onto positively material can hold onto positively charged nutrients like ammonium (a charged nutrients like ammonium (a plant useable form of nitrogen).plant useable form of nitrogen).

PhysicalPhysicalCompost improves Compost improves

soil’ssoil’s Water and air Water and air

holding ability holding ability Structure—easier to Structure—easier to

till or dig while still till or dig while still having soil particles having soil particles hold together in hold together in small clumpssmall clumps

Main UsesMain Uses Soil amendmentSoil amendment Lawn and golf course Lawn and golf course

establishment and maintenanceestablishment and maintenance Revegetating ditchesRevegetating ditches Part of potting soil mixPart of potting soil mix MulchMulch Compost teaCompost tea

Soil Soil AmendmentAmendment

Most common Most common use for compost.use for compost.

Incorporate up to Incorporate up to 2” (5cm) into 2” (5cm) into cultivated topsoil.cultivated topsoil.

Use to enrich soil Use to enrich soil in specific in specific planting holes for planting holes for transplants or transplants or trees.trees.

Lawns, sports fields and Golf Lawns, sports fields and Golf coursescourses

Use compost as a Use compost as a soil amendment soil amendment when lawns or when lawns or greens are greens are establishedestablished

Used as a top Used as a top dressing in dressing in established areasestablished areas

Revegetating Revegetating ditchesditches

Compost and seed Compost and seed mixtures are mixtures are sprayed on the dirt sprayed on the dirt surface of ditches surface of ditches and steep slopes.and steep slopes.

Can be very Can be very effective in effective in establishing fast establishing fast growth. growth.

Texas: 8 months from application to picture of vegetated ditch

www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/success/successstories/vol2iss04.cfm

Potting soil mixPotting soil mix Use mature, Use mature,

unsterilized unsterilized compostcompost

Helps prevent Helps prevent damping offdamping off

Use as approx. ¼ of Use as approx. ¼ of mixmix

Compost/soil recipe Compost/soil recipe collection at collection at www.attra.orgwww.attra.org

Compost as MulchCompost as Mulch

Coarse woody Coarse woody composts can be composts can be applied as surface applied as surface mulches around mulches around trees and shrubs.trees and shrubs.

Simple Compost TeaSimple Compost Tea Compost, mesh bag, Compost, mesh bag,

dechlorinated waterdechlorinated water Steep for 30 Steep for 30

minutes, use soonminutes, use soon Tea has water Tea has water

soluble nutrients soluble nutrients and antibiotics but and antibiotics but few microbesfew microbes

Use to water plantsUse to water plants Can be made in Can be made in

small or large small or large volumes volumes

Aerated Compost Tea Aerated Compost Tea Microbes extracted from compostMicrobes extracted from compost Populations grown out in aerated Populations grown out in aerated

water with carefully chosen foodswater with carefully chosen foods ‘‘tea’ is brewed in aerated brewer for tea’ is brewed in aerated brewer for

12-48 hours12-48 hours Sprayed on soil or plant material Sprayed on soil or plant material

within 4-6 hours of completed brewingwithin 4-6 hours of completed brewing Complex process but can be very Complex process but can be very

helpful to renew soil microbes or helpful to renew soil microbes or prevent plant diseases.prevent plant diseases.

Sample Commercial Sample Commercial BrewersBrewers

5 gallon KIS brewer

55 gallon KIS brewer

Compost ExtractorsCompost Extractors Extracts microbes Extracts microbes

from compost but from compost but does not enlarge does not enlarge populationpopulation

Allows microbes to be Allows microbes to be sprayed onto plant sprayed onto plant material material

Avoids some potential Avoids some potential problems with problems with pathogenspathogens

Microbes in compost= Microbes in compost= microbes in solutionmicrobes in solution

EndEnd