Composting presentation presented at the Mid-America Homesteading Conference on September 1, 2012 in Joliet, IL. http://www.homesteadingconference.com

1. Deborah Niemann

2.  It’s free!
 It’s all natural
 It’s naturally balanced
 It’s an outstanding fertilizer
 It holds moisture, protect against drought
 It can be used to make your own potting soil
 It can be used as mulch
 You are keeping waste out of landfills
 Yard waste and food make up 23% of landfill waste!

3.  Where?
 Close to garden
 Close to water
 Close to house?
 Compost bin or pile or …?
 Size (at least 3 X 3 X 3)
 Cover?

4.  Carbon-nitrogen ratio (usually brown and
green, except manure is “green”)
 Organic matter
 Avoid
 Coal ash (high in sulfur and iron)
 Colored ink (heavy metals)
 Diseased plants
 Inorganic material (plastic, aluminum, glass)
 Animal products (meat, bones, dairy, fat)
 Dog and cat poop
 Synthetic chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, etc)

5.  But …
 You can speed up the process
 Chop or shred larger items
 Turn the pile
 Make a big pile
 Keep it in the sun
 You can make the process more efficient
 Add algae or seaweed
 Add alfalfa
 Add manure
 Add blood meal

6.  Can be used after a couple of weeks if it has
heated up to 140 or more
 Will take 3 months to a year to completely
decompose

7.  Composting with worms
 Many of the same benefits as regular composting
 But even more nutritious for plants
 Can be used by people living in an apartment
 Doesn’t stink or attract flies when done properly
 Can compost fats and dairy products (gravy, salad
dressing)
 Can be used to make potting soil
 Can be used as a top dressing or vermicompost tea

8.  Red wigglers

9.  Can buy a fancy bin
 Can make a worm bin out of a plastic storage
bin with lid
 Drill holes in sides, top, and bottom
 Add bedding
 Spritz it to make it wet
 Add worms
 Feed worms (tea bags, coffee grounds, egg
shells, dinner scraps, junk mail, etc.)
 Harvest vermicompost
 As worms multiply, make new bins!