The
presentation
will begin shortly.
Welcome!
The voucher for the free
composter* will only be
shown at the end of the
live 03/25/23 lecture.
1-Click on the link
2- Take the evaluation 3-
Print out or photograph
the voucher
*Miami-Dade residents only

COMPOSTING
101
Ellen Book,
UF/IFAS Extension
Miami-Dade County
Master Gardener
Link to slide presentation:
https://TINYURL.com/IFAScomposts
The chat box
will open at the
end of the
lecture for a
Q&A session.

Ellen Book, Branch Manager Pinecrest Branch Library
booke@mdpls.org www.mdpls.org

So first.
A few
features….

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Help create PLARN balls
Recycle bags into mats
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Mats for the homeless

Now about some upcoming programs & services…

Fridays @ 10:30am Saturdays @ 10:30am
AVI THE POODLE
&
CANINE ASSISTANCE READING
ENHANCEMENT

Genealogy Society of Greater Miami
First Saturdays at 3pm
contact: gsgmfl@gmail.com

Thursday, April 27, from 6:30-7:30 pm

HYBRID
PROGRAM
A Good Book
Book Club
first Thursdays
@ 6pm

2nd & 3rd
Saturdays
10:30am

Two Spanish-language bookclubs

Painting Together
Thursdays 11-2

Third
Wednesdays
April 19, 2023
10 am – 2 pm
Telephone
Pinecrest Library
for an appointment or email
booke@mdpls.org
www.GatherGoGet.com

Let's Do (Plant-based)
Brunch!
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
Time: 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Get Happy! Plantbased
Foods to Boost Your
Mood
Date: Thursday, April 13, 2023
Time: 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Two Online Events

COMPOSTING
101
Ellen Book,
Master Gardener
UF/IFAS Extension
Miami-Dade County
Master Gardener
Link to slide presentation:
https://TINYURL.com/IFAScomposts
The chat box
will open at the
end of the
lecture for a
Q&A session.

APR 01, 2023 -- 11:30 AM TO 12:30
NOON
Orchids in the Landscape
Master Gardener Gerryann Barros in-
person at the City of North Miami Library
835 NE 132nd St, North Miami, FL 33161
APR 01, 2023 -- 2:30 PM TO 3:30 PM
Pollinator Paradise
In-depth look at 39 Imperiled
Butterflies of South Florida within
formation on their natural habitat and
larval host plants that are critical to
their survival. West Kendall Regional
Library, 10201 Hammocks Blvd

Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences - IFAS
https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/miami-dade/

Everyday Information Source

Everyday Information Source

Everyday Information Source

Gardening Solutions

https://tinyurl.com/MiamiVeggies

Was NOT me

Kitchen food scraps. Photo: Tia Silvasy, UF/IFAS

Too much
too wet
too long…
Anaerobic bacteria
kills worms
UF/IFAS

A Tumbler Bin Composter
UF/IFAS

Fill out the evaluation
at the end of the
program for a voucher
80-gallon capacity
Size:
32” diameter X 32” tall

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR LOCATING
YOUR COMPOSTER IS CONVENIENCE.
What Is The Best Location For A Compost Bin In
Your Yard – Sun or Shade?

Sheet Composting Top-dressing on
the soil surface like a garden lasagna
right onto a future growing space.
Trench Composting - composting
directly in the soil
Cold Bin Composting Fill your
compost bin halfway with browns and
bury kitchen scraps
Bokashi Bucket anaerobic bacteria
(grass-like inoculated bran, rice, dried
leaves sprinkled over scraps). 10
days to ferment & “pickle” waste,
forming an acidic organic matter that
must be dug into the soil or added to
a compost pile.
TYPES OF COMPOSTING

.

GREENs = nitroGen
BROWNs = carBon
NitroGen = Protein
CarBon = Energy
From: https://small-farm-permaculture-and-
sustainable-living.com/how-build-compost-pile/

THE RECIPE

Can I compost this?
Material Can I Compost? Comment
Banana skins Yes
Bird cage "waste" Yes
Bone meal Yes
Bread Yes
Cereal Yes
Citrus (e.g., oranges,
grapefruit, lemons, tangerines)
Yes
Green/nitrogen - must cut in
half or quarter before
composting; mix with browns
& add 6-inch layer of browns
on top
Coffee grounds (with paper
filter)
Yes Green/nitrogen
Corn cobs Yes
Cornmeal Yes
Cottonseed meal Yes
Crop waste Yes
Egg shells Yes Adds calcium

Citrus
green/nitrogen
cut in half or quarter before composting
mix with browns &
add a 6-inch layer of browns on top

BROWNS ON THE BOTTOM & TOP ARE

Attribution to: KidsGardening: A Kids’ Guide to Messing Around in the Dirt by Kevin Raftery

Photo www.bobvila.com

From : https://www.emnz.com/article/microbial-imbalances-in-the-soil

“The secret world beneath our feet is mind-blowing –
and the key to our planet’s future : Don’t dismiss soil:
its unknowable wonders could ensure the survival of our
species”
by George Monbiot in The Guardian, 5/7/2022
I

AS PILE TEMPERATURES  & 
TIME IS NEEDED FOR VARIOUS
MICROORGANISMS TO COLONIZE

Left: (1 year old) Last year’s material all garden stuff, grass & leaves,
kitchen: banana peels veg. trimmings from the pile’s top.
Middle: (2 years old) bottom of this year’s pile put into bags
Right: (3 years old) Finished product from the bags to be used in the
garden & greenhouse this year
GUESS WHERE THIS
COMPOST WAS MADE?

Smaller surface areas
decompose faster

Attribution to: KidsGardening: A Kids’ Guide to Messing Around in the Dirt by Kevin Raftery

Compost
bin
cutaway

Aeration
keeps
microbes
alive.
Anerobic
microbes
STINK!

Compost Crank
Compost Aerator

The free compost bins have
trapdoors at the bottom to access
the compost which may need to be
further cured/finished at a lower
temperature.

Check for moisture when
turning the compost.
The consistency should
feel like a wrung-out sponge.
UF/IFAS

Smaller bits
decompose
faster
BIGGER
pieces need
more time

Unfinished compost
may stress plants, causing
yellowing or stalling growth

Heat cooks most weeds.
For hot composting turn when pile
temperature drops below 100°F or
if the pile is more than 150°F

HEALTHY VEGGIES AND PLANTS START WITH
HEALTHY SOIL!
UF/IFAS Leon County Extension

Five “Pests”
in a Compost Pile

NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT…

Vermi-Composting Definitions
• Vermiculture – Work farming process of
culturing worms to decompose organic food
waste, turning it into nutrient rich material
• Casting – Worm waste, digested food
• Omnivores – Animals that eat plants and
animals
• Hermaphrodites – Animals with male and
female sex organs.
http://clipart-library.com/

Red Wigglers

Contains
• 5Xs the available nitrogen
• 7Xs the available potash
• 50% more calcium
than 6” of good top soil
• Water soluble nutrient immediately available for
plant intake.
Will not burn root system
unlike fresh raw manures
Red Wigglers
UF/IFAS

v

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/saras
ota/natural-resources/waste-
reduction/composting/quizfa
q/
COMPOST QUIZ
!

1) I'm having problems with
my compost system and I'm not
sure of the cause. What should
I do first?
a. Add water
b. Add browns/carbon rich
material
c. Turn the compost

1) I'm having problems with
my compost system and I'm not
sure of the cause. What should
I do first?
a. Add water
b. Add browns/carbon rich
material
c. Turn the compost

2) My compost smells bad and
I turned it yesterday. What can I
do?
a. Add bulky browns/carbon-rich
material
b. Add greens/nitrogen-rich
material
c. Add water

2) My compost smells bad and
I turned it yesterday. What can I
do?
a. Add bulky browns/carbon-rich
material
b. Add greens/nitrogen-rich
material
c. Add water

3) My pile won't heat up, but I have
the proper volume of material
(approximately 1 cubic yard), enough
oxygen (aeration), and a good balance
of carbon to nitrogen (approximately
30:1). What can I do?
a. Add lime
b. Add moisture
c. Add potting soil
d. Add clean wood ash
e. All of the above

3) My pile won't heat up, but I have
the proper volume of material
(approximately 1 cubic yard),
enough oxygen (aeration), and a
good balance of carbon to
nitrogen (approximately 30:1).
What can I do?
b. Add moisture

4) What can I do about flies in my
compost?
a. Spray with pesticide
b. Create a separate pile for kitchen
scraps
c. No need to act

4) What can I do about flies in
my compost?
a. Spray with pesticide
b. Create a separate pile for
kitchen scraps
c. No need to act

5) How can I compost in my
high-rise condominium or
apartment?
a. With a compost bin
b. With worms
c. With the in-sink disposal

5) How can I compost in my
high-rise condominium or
apartment?
a. With a compost bin
b. With worms
c. With the in-sink disposal

6) What is the optimal size of a
composting system?
a. The bigger, the better
b. Long and narrow
c. About 3 feet high by 3 feet long
by 3 feet wide

6) What is the optimal size of a
composting system?
a. The bigger, the better
b. Long and narrow
c. About 3 feet high by 3 feet long
by 3 feet wide

7) What can be used as a catalyst or
inoculant to get my compost pile
started?
a. Finished compost
b. Large pieces left over from screening
compost
c. Small amount of organic top soil from
the yard
d. Commercially prepared inoculant
e. All of the above

7) What can be used as a catalyst or
inoculant to get my compost pile
started?
a. Finished compost
b. Large pieces left over from screening
compost
c. Small amount of organic topsoil from th
yard
d. Commercially prepared inoculant
e. All of the above

8) How do I get rid of fire ants
in my compost pile?
a. Leave the pile alone
b. Water and turn the pile
c. Spray the pile with pesticide

8) How do I get rid of fire ants
in my compost pile?
a. Leave the pile alone
b. Water and turn the pile
c. Spray the pile with pesticide

9) When is the compost
finished?
a. After 6-8 weeks
b. When the compost appears dark,
crumbly, and looks and smells like
soil
c. When the pile temperature
exceeds 131 degrees F

9) When is the compost
finished?
a. After 6-8 weeks
b. When the compost appears dark,
crumbly, and looks and smells like
soil
c. When the pile temperature
exceeds 131 degrees F

10) What determines how long it takes for
organic material to become useful
compost?
a. Size of materials place into composting
system
b. Carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of materials
place into composting system
c. Level of management/attention paid to the
composting process
d. Intended use for finished compost
e. All of the above

10) What determines how long it takes for
organic material to become useful
compost?
a. Size of materials place into composting
system
b. Carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of materials
place into composting system
c. Level of management/attention paid to the
composting process
d. Intended use for finished compost
e. All of the above

11) Must I cover the compost bin?
a. Yes
b. No

11) Must I cover the compost bin?
a. Yes
b. No

12) What items may harm my worms if
added to my vermi-composting system?
a. Alcohol or vinegar
b. Coffee grinds
c. Oranges or other citrus
d. All of the above

12) What items may harm my worms if
added to my vermi-composting system?
a. Alcohol or vinegar
b. Coffee grinds
c. Oranges or other citrus
d. All of the above

13) It I can't compost it, what can I do with
it?
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
d. All of the above

13) It I can't compost it, what can I do with
it?
a. Reduce
b. Reuse
c. Recycle
d. All of the above

14) Must I use a manufactured composting
bin?
a. Yes
b. No

14) Must I use a manufactured composting
bin?
a. Yes
b. No

15) What is the lowest-cost backyard
composting system?
a. Pile, trench, and sheet composting
b. Manufactured bins
c. Self-made bins

15) What is the lowest-cost backyard
composting system?
a. Pile, trench, and sheet composting
b. Manufactured bins
c. Self-made bins

16) What best accelerates the
decomposition of oak leaves?
a. Water the pile
b. Turn the pile twice a week
c. Shred leaves before adding to the compost
d. All of the above

16) What best accelerates the
decomposition of oak leaves?
a. Water the pile
b. Turn the pile twice a week
c. Shred leaves before adding to the compost
d. All of the above

17) How can I accelerate the compost
decomposition process?
a. Active management of the compost system
b. Building a bigger pile
c. Adding a compost starter/inoculant/catalyst
d. None of the above

17) How can I accelerate the compost
decomposition process?
a. Active management of the compost system
b. Building a bigger pile
c. Adding a compost starter/inoculant/catalyst
d. None of the above

18) How much time does it take to make
compost?
a. One hour per day
b. One hour per week
c. One hour per month
d. As little or as much time as I want

18) How much time does it take to make
compost?
a. One hour per day
b. One hour per week
c. One hour per month
d. As little or as much time as I want

19) Hot composting and vermi-composting
are compatible?
a. True
b. False

19) Hot composting and vermi-composting
are compatible?
a. True
b. False

7701 SW 76 Ave, Miami, FL 33143

For
Miami
Beach
residents
ONLY
email:
ViceChair@miami.SurfRider.org
For
Miami
Beach
residents
ONLY

LANDFILL SITES

Evaluation
& Voucher
This link to the
evaluation and
voucher will be
live until Monday,
01/30/23
at 8:00am.

Miami Beach
residents ONLY
voucher
The link to the
evaluation and
voucher will be live
until Monday,
01/30/23
at 8:00am.
shown during the presentation

DOME COMPOSTER – AVAILABLE TO ALL
MIAMI-DADE RESIDENTS
TUMBLER COMPOSTER – AVAILABLE TO MIAMI
BEACH RESIDENTS (CHOOSE EITHER DOME OR
TUMBLER )

Evaluation
& Voucher
Link to slide presentation:
https://TINYURL.com/IFAScomposts
Vouchers will be accepted
WHEN the supply arrives…
The link will be up until
Monday at 8:00am.
Vasquez,Laura A
lavasquez@ufl.edu
FYN Program Supervisor
shown during the presentation
Copy this link to evaluation AND
composter voucher from chat.