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Backyard
Composting
USES
FOR FINISHED COMPOST |
FOUR
EASY STEPS TO FASTER COMPOST
WEBSITES
|
KIDS'
STUFF
Compost
bins are sometimes made available to Blair County residents
through the Department. Please contact us for more information..
Have
some composting questions? Give us a call at 696-4620 or 949-2566
or e-mail us at bsmithmyer@blairco.org.
USES FOR FINISHED COMPOST
Compost
can be used as a conditioner to improve the moisture-retention
properties of soil. In addition, compost adds valuable nutrients
to soil to promote healthy plant growth.
Potential
uses include:
-
Home
gardening – Incorporate it into the soil for vegetable
and flower gardening or use it when potting houseplants.
-
Greenhouses
– Use it in combination with peat moss, sand, or soilless
mix when planting or starting seeds.
-
Landscaping
– Use compost as a mulch around shrubs, trees, and
bushes or work it into the soil before planting.
-
Soil
top-dressing – Apply a layer of compost on top of your
grass and work it in with a rake or apply it as a mulch
around flowerbeds.
-
COMPOST
TEA can be made by combining one part compost to five parts
water. Let this steep for three to seven days then strain
through cheesecloth. This mixture can be diluted to a weak-tea
color and used in a sprayer or poured. Compost tea feeds
plants, enhances soil microorganisms, and controls foliar
diseases such as Fusarium wilt, Downy and powdery mildews,
grey mould, and late blight on potato and tomato plants.
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FOUR
EASY STEPS TO FASTER COMPOST
-
Either
using a pre-made compost bin or making a compost bin out
of pallets, the size of the working area should be about
3’ high by 3 ‘ wide by 3’ deep.
-
Have
the right combination (3:1) of dry/brown (carbon) elements
to wet/green (nitrogen) material and have them the right
size. Some examples of carbon sources are: dry leaves, straw,
dry grass clippings, paper towels, junk mail (no glossy
paper), and bank statements. Some nitrogen sources are:
fresh grass clippings, kitchen waste (lettuce leaves, tea
bags, coffee grounds, vegetable peelings), old flowers or
plants, and soft hedge trimmings. Don’t add pet waste,
grease, or dairy products to your compost pile: you’ll
attract vermin and the odor won’t be too pleasing.
Large chunks of food waste or whole leaves take more time
to break down so cut up the food, scrunch up the egg shells,
run over the dry leaves with a mower or use hedge trimmers,
and shred the bank statements.
-
After
you’ve added the correct ratio of ingredients, be sure
to add some water. You can use gray water (from your laundry
or sink, as long as the detergent is environmentally-friendly),
too. Make the ingredients moist, not dripping wet. This
would be a good time to add a shovel-full of garden soil.
Just to get things working!
-
Take
your compost’s temperature and if it’s between
113° and 158° turn the pile using an aerator (looks
like a metal stick with a flange at the end) or a pitchfork.
Don’t have a thermometer? Stick your hand in it. If
it’s hot, it’s working. It’s time to mix
that pile of compost using your pitchfork or the aerator.
The
PA-DEP website has listings for composting, worm bin composting
(vermicomposting) and recycling, too. Visit the main page at
http://www.dep.state.pa.us
and type in “compost” or “recycling” in
the space provided.
- Pick
a regional area in the US and find local composting programs,
or read instructions and articles. With message boards and
teacher resources.
www.mastercomposter.com
- Cornell
Composting
Access a variety of composting educational materials and programs
developed at Cornell University.
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/Composting_homepage.html
- Composting
At Home
Learn about the composting process and find instructions for
making compost. Includes diagrams of compost bins and a troubleshooting
guide.
www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/1000/1189.html
- Howstuffworks.com
- How Composting Works
Craig C. Freudenrich, Ph.D. provides the basics of composting.
Learn about composting biology, making compost and compost
columns, and trash auditing.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/composting.htm
- Virginia
Cooperative Extension - Yard Waste Management
Find articles that explain what compost is and provide instructions
on making and using compost in the garden.
www.ext.vt.edu/
- US Composting
Council
US government sponsored source of composting information includes
current research information, a FAQ, .PDF article archive,
and organization membership facts.
www.compostingcouncil.org
- Don't
Bag It Leaf Management Compost
View a slide show designed to encourage composting as a means
of reducing the amount of waste dumped in community landfills.
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthknd/compost/compost.html
- NCSU
Extension - Composting for Home Gardens
Describes techniques for home garden composting. Provided
by North Carolina State University.
www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-8100.html
- Composting
Practices
Describes the benefits of composting and outlines the compost
process. Includes instructions for making a compost bin.
www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/hortcrop/h885w.htm
- Compost
Heap, The
Features compost recipes, recycling tips, links to organic
gardening manuals, activities for kids and a list of recommended
books.
www.silverlf.com/barrick
- Pioneer
Thinking - Composting
Provides an overview of steps involved in composting. Also
offers compost bin design ideas.
www.pioneerthinking.com/composting.html
- DoItYourself.com
- Build a Compost Bin
Offers instructions for building and starting a simple compost
bin.
doityourself.com/garden/buildacompostbin.htm
- Backyard
Magic - The Composting Handbook
Handbook answers questions about composting and explains the
compost process. From the New Brunswick Department of Environment.
www.gnb.ca/elg-egl/0372/0003/0001-e.html
- Sunset
- A Compost Bin With a College Degree
Examine the directions for this compost bin that was created
by horticulturists. The estimated time to build is two to
three hours.
www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1216/4_205/65651558/p1/article.jhtml
- The
Compost Resource Page
This site is intended to serve as a hub of information for
anyone interested in the various aspects of composting. Occasional
updates on what's new at the site, notes from the admin, and
a featured Editor's Choice site.
www.oldgrowth.org/compost
- Composting:
Journey to Forever organic garden - how to turn wastes into
clean, healthy food, making compost, compost bin
... Garden guides often describe composting as "nature's
way" of recycling. ...
www.journeytoforever.org/compost.html
- Worm
Composting
Tips and advice, with information on worm bins and maintenance
from Urban Agriculture Notes. ... Worm composting is a method
for recycling food waste into a rich, dark, earth-smelling
soil conditioner. ...
www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html
- Go Self Sufficient
If you're worried about your impact on the environment or simply want to be self sufficient, let this information help you.
http://www.goselfsufficient.co.uk
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KIDS'
STUFF
- One of
the best composting sites for kids is www.kidsgardening.com
sponsored by the National Gardening Association. Visit them
often for class suggestions.
- Composting
for Kids -- another good site
Browse this slide presentation on teaching the basics of making
compost. Learn how the process works and methods for building
a compost pile.
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/sustainable/slidesets/kidscompost/cover.html
- Recipes
for Composting
Kids' educational page offers basic information and tips on
making slow and fast compost.
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/compost_waste.htm
- ET 4/98:
Kids and composting
Kids and composting were made for each other. ...
www.sdearthtimes.com/et0498/et0498s10.html
- KIDS
AND COMPOSTING
KIDS AND COMPOSTING Sela Shiloni, left, and Zachary Rosanova
struggle with a full-sized pitchfork to turn a pile of compost
- good exercise and a good lesson in caring for the earth.
The kids may hold their noses.
www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/sdkids.htm
- The
Compost Heap For Kids! Gardening, Recycling and Composting
Ideas for Kids :-)
... Composting, Recycling & Gardening For Kids. It is
vital to our future to include the children in our efforts
to protect ...
www.silverlf.com/barrick/kidsgarden.htm
- Composting
Worms in the Classroom
Good resource for purchasing. Acorn Naturalists offers a wide
selection of activity books, videos, supplies and kits for
composting as well as resources for studying the many organisms
that live in compost.
www.acornnaturalists.com
- http://www.hdra.org.uk/gh_comp.htm
- http://pbskids.org/zoom/sci/index.html
- Vermicomposting:
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/compost/withworm.htm
- http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/DigDetail.taf?ID=1152&Type=Art
- KIDS
AND COMPOSTING
Whatever the method, be sure to educate yourself. There are
a variety of composting courses and resources throughout the
county, from your local library to the county agriculture
office. Also try the Internet.
www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/sdkids2.htm
- Recycling
& Composting Lesson Plans and Resources for Teachers to
Use in the Classroom
Find online resources and lesson plans for teaching recycling
and composting for Earth Day, learning about the environment.
... Composting for Kids Slide Show. Kids can follow this slide
show to learn about why composting is important, how to do
it, ...
www.atozteacherstuff.com/themes/recycling_composting.shtml
- This
is about the best website for kids composting I’ve found:
Composting ... Composting for Kids. Composting for Kids is
an online slide presentation about composting developed by
the Travis County ...
www.grrn.org/kids_recycle/composting.html
- RAIN
BARREL CONSTRUCTION: montgomeryconservation.org/barrel.htm
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