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</3 eAaa^-'t-l 7 UMASS/AMHERST 5. As time goes on, keepoxygen available to the compostcritters by fluffing thepile with ahoe or Turn spoils aiEDbbDlbSfi^bSQ compost turning tool each time you add material. — A complete turning o—fthe pile so the top Home becomes thebottom in spring and fall should resultin finished compostwithin a year. More frequent turning will shorten the composting time. Composting High Nitrogen High Carbon 'Green"Ingredient* "Brown"Ingredient* • AlfalfaHay/Meal • Autumn Leaves • Grass Clippings • Cornstalks A guide for composting yard and • Blood Meal • Straw food waste • Manure (cow, horse, • Pine Needles chicken, rabbit) • Paper/Cardboard • Food Wastes (fruit & • Wood chips fl* vegetables, coffee • Saw Dust grounds, tea bags, egg shells) • Seaweed v Where to Get More IrtfbrmatUm OH \ • In cooperation with theMassachusettsDEP, the State ofConnecticuthas producedavideo entitled Turning YourSpoils to Soils, which is available in most local libraries in Massachusetts. DEP's SolidWaste ManagementProgram also provides technical assistance and reference materials on composting, and can bereached at (617) 292-5834. The Commonwealth of Prepared bytheMassachusetts M?< achusetts DepartmentofEnvironmental Protection,Office ofPublic Executive Office of Affairs, One WinterStreet, MA Environmental Affairs Boston, 92108,March 1993. Printed on recycled paper. Department of GraphicscourtesyoftheMassachusettsAudubot Societyand Environmental Protection SeattleSolidWaste Utility. What is Composting? What You Should Compost Composting is acontrolledprocess of Yard wastes such as leaves, grass clippings decomposition oforganic material. Naturally and weeds make excellentcompost. Fruitand occurring soil organisms recycle nitrogen, potash, vegetable scraps, plus foodwastes such as coffee phosphorus, andotherplant nutrients as they grounds, teabags, andeggs shells, can be convert thematerial intohumus. composted. Tokeep animals andodors outofyour pile, donotaddmeat, bones, fatty food wastes (such as cheese, grease andoils), dog andcat litter, Benefits of Composting and diseased plants. Do not add invasiveweeds and weeds thathave gone to seed to the pile. Composting is aconvenient, beneficial and inexpensive way to handle your organic waste and Elements of a Good Compost Pile help the environment. Composting: reduces the volume ofgarbage requiring With these principles in mind, you can convert disposal; yourorganic wastes intoresources by turning your savesmoney for you and yourcommunity in spoils to soil. reduced soil purchases andreduced local The Biodegraders disposal costs; and Nature has provided an army ofworkers who enriches the soil. Using compost adds specialize—in decomposing organic material. These essential nutrients, improves soil structure, "critters" bacteria, fungi, mold—s, earthworms, which allows betterroot growth, and increases insects andother soil organisms eatall types of moisture and nutrientretention in the soil. organicmaterial and in the process convert Plants love compost! nutrients into a form plantscan utilize. Without those compost critters, we would be surrounded by mountains ofleaves and the soil would be barren. The process ofcomposting is simply amatterof providing the soil organisms with food, water and oxygen. They do the rest Organic Material Organic material contains varying amounts of carbon andnitrogen which nourish the organisms naturally present in yourcompost pile. (Billions of bacteria inhabit the surface ofevery leafand blade ofgrass in youryard.) The critters need both carbon and nitrogen. An easy way to provide both of these is to remember that brown, woody materials, such as autumn leaves, are high in excellent forreseeding lawns, and itcan be spread carbon while green, moistmaterials, suchas grass one-quarterinchdeepoverthe entire lawn to clippings, are high in nitrogen (referto the table on rejuvenate the turf. Tomake potting soil, mix the backofthis brochure). equal parts compost sand and loam. You may put Alternating layersofbrown and green thecompost through a sieve toremove large materials will yield finishedcompostin three to particles - thesecan gobackinto the pile. eightmonths. Leaves alonebreakdown in six to 15 months. Grass clippings or food scraps composted alone resultin unpleasantodors Mulching because they containmore nitrogen than the compostorganisms can use. Layer leaves or straw with green material, orletitdry until it turns brownbefore composting italone. Grass clippings, ^P leaves and Air woody yard The compostcritters need oxygen,justas we «*£* wastes can be do. Lackofoxygen will slow down the used as mulch in composting process andcause odors. Turn your gardens and pile, fluffit with ahoe orcompostturning tool, or around shrubs to build airpassages into thepile withcornstalks to keep the soil provide oxygen to theorganisms. moist control Moisture weed growth Compost organisms needamoist andadd environment The pile shouldbe as dampas a nutrients. Woody materials shouldbe chipped or wrung-out sponge, but notdripping wet Make shredded. Use amulch ofpine needles around sure leaves are damp when you add them to the acid-loving plants. Leaves will work firstas compostpile because they will notbreakdown if mulch, then as asoil enricheras they decompose. they are dry. Since moisture evaporates as the pile Grass clippings should be dried before using as heats up (a sign ofactive composting), letrain and mulch. Do notmulch with grass clippings which A snow replace it or add waterduring dry spells. have been treated with herbicides; composting coverhelps retain moisture in hot weather. them first however, will break down the herbicides. How to Use Compost Composting Without a Yard When the composted materials look like rich, brown soil, it is ready to use. Apply one-halfto Composting can be done indoors using an three inches offinished compostandmix it in with earthwormfarm. Not only can you recycle your the top four inches ofsoil aboutone month before food scraps, you can also have a steady supply of planting. Compostcanbe appliedasatop dressing fishing bait! Formore information call DEPs in the garden throughout the summer. Compost is Solid Waste ManagementProgram. Composting Bins How To Make a Compost Pile Holding Bins There are asmany different ways tomake compostas there are people whodo it. The Theseportable following guidelines will getyou started, but soon containers are the yourown experience will help you tailor amethod simplest way to thatbest fits yourneeds. compost. Turning is optional. 1. Buildorpurchase acompostbin. Enclosed compostpileskeep outpests, hold beat and moisture in, and have aneat appearance. Check to Turning Bins see ifyourcommunity has acomposting bin distribution program, ororder from a garden catalogue, nursery orhardware store. Or, bins can be simplymade ofwire, wood, pallets, concrete blocks, even garbage cans with drainage holes drilled in them—. In urban areas, rodent-resistant compostbins having asecure cover anJ floor — and openings no wider than one-halfinch must A series ofthree or more bins allows you to be used. make compost in a short time by turning the materials on a regularschedule. 2. Set up thebin in aconvenient, shady areawith A good drainage. pile that is about three feet square and three feethigh will help maintain the Barrel Bin These bins can easily be made heat generatedby the composting organisms fromplasticgarbagecans. throughout the winter. Although a smallerpile may notretain heat, it will compost. 3. Start thepile with a layer ofcoarse material such as com stalks to build in airpassages. Add alternating layers of"brown" and "green" materials with ashovelful ofsoil on top ofeach layer. Block Bin Wire Bin Shredding leaves orrunning over them with a lawn mower will shorten the composting time. Be sure Block bins and wire bins tobury food scraps in the center ofthe pile. can also be madefor composting. 4. Add water as you build the pile if'he materials are dry. Earthworm Bin