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Compost

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Who am I?

Eric,

a NERD

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Who am I?

Eric,

a NERD

Nurseryman Excited

Regarding Decomposition

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What is compost?

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What is compost?

  • Decayed organic matter
  • Fertilizer
  • Soil conditioner
  • Bacterial and fungal inoculant
  • Fun to make

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Key Ingredients of Compost

Carbon

Nitrogen

Water

Biology

Air

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Compost Feedstocks

High Carbon

  • Straw 40-100:1
  • Leaves 60:1
  • Wood chips/Sawdust 100-500:1
  • Bark 100-130:1
  • Newspaper 560:1
  • Biochar 6.5-640:1

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High Nitrogen

  • Chicken Manure 10:1
  • Kitchen Scraps 15:1
  • Coffee Grounds 20:1
  • Grass Clippings 20:1
  • Weeds 20-35:1
  • Your Enemies 8:1

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Putting It All Together

R=

Q1(C1 x (100 - M1) + Q2(C2 x (100 - M2).....

Q1(N1 x (100 - M1) + Q2(N2 x (100 - M2).....

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Putting It All Together, Accessibly

C:N Ratios are most important for hot composting

The “optimal” starting C:N ratio is 30-35:1

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Putting It All Together, Accessibly

C:N Ratios are most important for hot composting

The “optimal” starting C:N ratio is 30-35:1

It doesn’t have to start out optimal

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Methods of Composting

Static Compost Piles

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Bioreactors

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Turned Piles / Berkeley Method

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Static Compost Methods

  • Compost is not actively turned or aerated

  • Can be open or contained

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  • Generally longer timeframes than turned compost

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Static Compost Methods

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Bioreactors

  • Passively aerated static compost

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  • More setup labor than some other static methods

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  • Similar timeframe to turned piles

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Bioreactors

Make a Plan

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Gather Materials

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Build

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Wait

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Enjoy

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Turned Compost Piles

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Composting is a hot topic

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ABC’s of Three Bay Setups

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ABC’s of Three Bay Setups

Always

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Be

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Composting!

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Chicken Powered Compost

Photos from Justin Rhodes