ABCDEFG s of Small Scale Composting

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1 Composting

2 ABCDEFG s of Small Scale Composting Ron Godin Area Agronomist Organic/Sustainable Agriculture Colorado State University Extension Delta, CO (970) ron.godin@colostate.edu

3 Composting Why compost? How compost forms What materials can be composted? Benefits and drawbacks Composting process Important factors Pile construction Composting methods Care of the pile Compost problems & how to cure Using compost

4 National Organic Standards Compost: The product of a managed process through which MO break down plant and animal materials into more available forms suitable for application to the soil. Compost must be produced through a process that combines plant and animal material with an initial C:N ratio of between 25:1 to 40:1. Producers using an in-vessel or static aerated pile system must maintain the composting materials at a temperature between 131F and 170F for 3 days. Producers using a windrow system must maintain the composting materials at a temperature between 131F and 170F for 15 days, during which time the material must be turned a minimum of 5 times.

5 Why Compost? Convert farming by-products into usable soil amendment that improve soil fertility & quality Helps keep farm nutrients cycles closed Compost improves soil physical & chemical properties Improves workability of clay soils Improves soil structure aeration root penetration water holding capacity and penetration Humus adds stable soil fertility foundation Improves nutrient retention Adds trace minerals Increases soil microbial activity Valuable as a soil mulch

6 Composting Benefits Improves Soil physical properties Soil chemical properties Soil biological properties Many environmental benefits Drawbacks Bulky hard to spread evenly Nutrients are variable depending on inputs Over application leads to high salts, etc.

7 What materials can be composted? Manures: poultry, cow, horse, ***(hog) Crop residues! Vegetable wastes Leaves Alfalfa! Corn stalks Straw Paper Woodchips & sawdust

8 Manure Type Dry Matter Ammonium-N Total N a P 2 O 5 K 2 O % lb/ton Swine, no bedding Swine, with bedding Beef, no bedding Beef, with bedding Dairy, no bedding Dairy, with bedding Sheep, no bedding Sheep, with bedding Poultry, no litter Poultry, with litter Turkey, no litter Turkey, with litter Horse, with bedding Poultry compost Dairy compost 45 < Mixed compost: Dairy/Swine/Poultry 43 <

9 Manure Type Dry Matter Ammonium-N Total N a P 2 O 5 K 2 O % lb/ton Swine, no bedding Swine, with bedding Beef, no bedding Beef, with bedding Dairy, no bedding Dairy, with bedding Sheep, no bedding Sheep, with bedding Poultry, no litter Poultry, with litter Turkey, no litter Turkey, with litter Horse, with bedding Poultry compost Dairy compost 45 < Mixed compost: Dairy/Swine/Poultry 43 <

10 Compost pile construction

11 Composting Methods Cold composting Hot composting Sheet composting Trench composting Pile Windrow Hot Composting: most efficient method (shortest time) destroys: weed seed fly larvae pathogens Requires a high degree of management

12 How compost forms Natural decomposition under controlled conditions. Raw organic material is converted to compost by a succession of organisms. 1. Initially increase in bacteria

13 How compost forms 2. Actinomycetes (filamentous bacteria) fungi & protozoa

14 3. After most of carbon used temperature falls centipedes millipedes sowbugs earthworms

15 Earthworms

16 Red Wigglers

17 Composting Benefits Improved soil fertility, quality, health

18 Composting Process Important factors Time necessary to complete composting depends on: Surface area of particles smaller size = faster Aeration composting is an aerobic process Moisture ideal = 45 50% (damp sponge) Temperature above 130F Micro/macro organism population (compost worms) C:N ratio ideal = 30:1 Aeration: Oxygen is critical: As oxygen is depleted microbial growth slows Sufficient oxygen minimizes N losses Moisture: > 65% pile becomes anaerobic leads to N losses and stinky piles!

19 How compost forms Initial temp rise to 110F 140F in one week Settling Pile ph = (finishes at ph = )

20 Composting Process Important factors Temperature: primary indicator of microbial activity easily measured Influenced by: moisture content oxygen content microbial activity When pile temp is increasing = optimum conditions

21 When pile temp peaks and decreases turn pile and add water if necessary Turning introduces O 2 pile and pile heats up again

22 Continue to turn until no increase in temp Pile is now biologically stable Temps: > 130F 4-5 days to kill weed seeds, etc.

23 Care of the pile Maintaining correct moisture content is critical Rule of thumb: Squeeze a handful of compost If a few drops of water trickle out MOISTURE IS RIGHT!!! If no water dribbles out pile is too dry If water trickles out without squeezing - Pile it too wet!

24 Keep an eye on: Temperature Moisture *Make notes*

25 C:N Ratio Ideal 30:1 Material C:N ratio Hog manure 6:1 Poultry manure (fresh) 10:1 Poultry manure (litter) 15:1 Vegetable wastes 15:1 Cow manure 20:1 Horse manure (fresh) 25:1 Leaves 50:1 Paper 200:1 Wood chips & sawdust 400:1

26 Calculating C:N ratio Example: 2 tons cow manure (20:1) 1 ton leaves (50:1) Calculation: (20:1 + 20:1 + 50:1)/3 = (90:1)/3 = 30:1 Less than 30:1 (40:1) and pile won t compost!!!!! Rule of thumb: 60%:40% (GREEN TO BROWN)

27

28 Compost pile problems & remedies BAD ODOR pile too wet, or too tight or both add new dry material, turn to aerate TEMP TOO COOL pile is too dry or not enough green material turn and add water while turning or add gm PILE IS MOIST BUT NOT HOT pile is too small or insufficient N PILE IS MOIST, SWEET SMELLING NOT HOT insufficient N WHEN FINISHED SHOULD BE DARK & CRUMBLY! Compost should be finished in 3-8 weeks!!

29 Using the sweet smelling stuff Add in fall or spring tilling Excellent mulch or topdress How much compost to use???

30 Compost Application Amounts Application rates Dependent on soil test results ¼ inch tilled into top 6 inches ½ inch tilled into top 8 12 inches (equals appox. 10 tons per acre) at 1.75% N = 350 lbs N/ ac half of which is available the 1 st year Watch soil EC (total salinity and P levels)

31 Composts Release Nutrients! Improved soil Aggregation Humus & growth production Healthy Soils & Healthy Crops & Healthy People

32 Buying Local Helps Keep Small Towns Small

33 Websites for Cover Crops & Compost ATTRA: Managing Cover Crops Profitably Building Soils for Better Crops Cover Crop Database

34 Percent residue lost after using different equipment. Operation % residue lost due to each operation Spraying 0 Sweeps (24 inches) 10 Disk drills 20 Disk chisels 10 Rod weeder 15 Chisel plow - Straight points 25 - Twisted Points 50 Tandem disk 3" deep 80 Tandem disk 6" deep 90 Moldboard plow Overwinter weathering Adapted from Dryland Cropping Systems (Croissant, et. al. 2008)

35 Questions?

36 Thank You!

37 We must learn from other people s mistakes, life is too short to make them all ourselves. Eleanor Roosevelt

38 Sustainable practices that improve soil Crop rotations in annual crops 4+ year rotations is best, include legumes between cash crops if possible Organic matter additions Reduce tillage NO recreational tillage! Don t till soil when soils are moist! Leads to compaction and plow pan or layer Destroys soil structure Reduces water infiltration Tillage breaks down soil structure and dries up soil and the glues that keep soil structure intact. Keep soil covered with a crop or residue at all times if possible

39 In order for land to be sustainable inputs must be equal or greater than outputs additions to soil/land harvested crop in terms of: soil/crop nutrients organic matter additions composts and manures crop residues green manures cover crops Organic matter is a long chain hydro-carbon that is broken down by soil micro organisms in constituent elements crop nutrients!

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