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Backyard Composting: A Comprehensive Guide for Successful Home Gardening

Discover the advantages of backyard composting with Sandra M. Frost, BHB Area Educator. Learn how composting reduces fertilizer use, alters soil pH, and improves soil structure. Get tips on the ideal location and size for your compost pile, maintaining moisture, and promoting microorganism health. Understand the dynamics of feeding your compost pile, including carbon/nitrogen ratios and suitable materials. Address common composting problems and explore cold-weather composting techniques. Unlock the potential of humus in enriching your garden.

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Backyard Composting: A Comprehensive Guide for Successful Home Gardening

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  1. Backyard Composting Sandra M. Frost BHB Area Educator – Crops

  2. Advantages • Reduces fertilizer use • Alters soil pH • Improves soil structure

  3. Factors • Location • Size • Water • Microorganisms • Air

  4. Location • Shade • Out of wind • Near a source of water • Out of sight • Near garden

  5. Tips for Success • Location out of wind and sun • Ideal size = 1 cubic yard • Water = wrung-out sponge • Soil biota with soil • Air – turn pile

  6. Soil Biota • Bacteria – smallest & most numerous • Purple bacteria • Actinomycetes • Fungi – most biomass, dominant • Molds, mildew, rust, smut, yeasts • Collembolans • Millipedes • Worms

  7. Feeding a Compost Pile • Microorganisms need food ! • Carbon / Nitrogenratio 25/1

  8. Dynamics • Early – bacteria and fungi • Mid – high heat kills fungi • Late – Fungi work • Cellulose, lignin, bacterial bodies

  9. Feeding a Compost Pile • Yes– garden debris, kitchen wastes, shredded paper, manures, leaves, hay, straw, grass clippings, sod, sawdust. • No– bones, meat scraps, fats, dog and cat feces, human feces, polyester materials, plastics, diseased plants, toxic stuff.

  10. Possible Problems • Too wet • Too dry • Compost not working • Offensive odor • Leaves matted • Flies

  11. Cold-weather Composting • Takes longer • Cover pile with a sheet of black plastic • Add more nitrogen-rich materials • Add 1 foot higher / wider for insulation

  12. Worms • Tunneling = aeration & structure • Castings = nutrients • 1 lb / 1 lb garbage / 1 lb compost / day • Reduce time for composting to occur • Must turn pile weekly to moderate heat • Indoors – worm box (Red Worms)

  13. Humus • Colloidal soil organic matter • Highly charged with large surface area • Dynamic role in soil • buffers pH, chelates cations (+ ions), pH • Over time it releases N and S to soil

  14. Compost uses • Mix in garden beds • Prepare soil for new lawns • Add to flower pots • Use as a mulch • Give it away

  15. Structures • Not necessary

  16. The End

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