Composting

Resources

Compost Application

• HOW MUCH COMPOST SHOULD WE USE? by EHRENFRIED E. PFEIFFER
  • ~½ to 1 lb. per square foot
  • Table I. Average Compost Application As A Guide to Practice (Archived here as pdf )
• Apply 2-3 inches before working in for first 3 years; 1-2 inches fourth year and beyond. source - CO state

• Hot Compost - Composting in 18 Days

Info on compost materials and mix

• Crazy about Compost
• ON-FARM COMPOSTING METHODS - about the most complete review of composting methods
• Compost Mix Calculator
  • Compost Troubleshooting
  • Composting - Basic to Advanced Presentation
• Cornel University Compost Factsheets
  • Compost guide Table of Contents
• Composting on Organic Farms
• Compost Info Guide
  • Measuring Moisture in Your Compost Pile
• Composting for the Homeowner
  • Materials for Composting
• What you can and cannot compost
• How organic matter is used for garden composting
• Fast, Biologically Active, Highly-Efficient, No-Turn Composting
• Composting Guide - very good guide. nice site.
• Biodynamic compost
  • ATTRA: Biodynamic Farming & Compost Preparation
  • How to make biodynamic compost heap - Recommends adding phosperous (if needed) to carbon layers and dusting of line to green layers.
• The Carbon:Nitrogen Ratio (C:N) - chart of C/N ratios of common materials has more things we have then calculators below.
• Detailed info on compost materials
  • How organic matter is used for garden composting - specific info on how various materials work into compost pile.
  • Material For Composting
• Compost mix calculators
  • Compost Mix Calculator
  • Compost Mix Calculator
  • Compost Mixture Calculation Spreadsheets - Downloadable spreadsheets from cornel u.
  • http://compostingtechnology.com/resources/compost-calculator/
  • Compost Recipe Calculator - Downloadable program (Mac or PC)
• Composting temperature and turning:
  • Compost Physics - graph of temperature curve.
  • Compost Needs - temperature
  • Compost Turning: The Key to Quick Composting
• Compost Tea
  • What are the Benefits of Aerated Compost Teas vs. Classic Teas?

Trouble shooting guides:

• Cornel U. Troubleshooting guide
• Compost Troubleshooting
• Compost Troubleshooting Chart
• Composting Dog Waste - locally saved copy

Compost Bin Design

• Wood & Wire Three-compartment Compost Bin - complete plan and parts list for most common bin design
• Compost bin built with bamboo
• Compost Bin Construction - has nice design for movable panels
• Compost Thermometer
• Wireless Weather Station w/ 6-ft. Temperature Probe
• Temperature Monitor for Mac

Composting Manure

• Manure Management for Small and Hobby Farms
• Managing Manure by Composting - quite good article on composting. Includes test for air space in materials using buckets.
• Composting Livestock Manure - very thorough, very good
• Composting Dog Waste - locally saved copy

Worm Composting

• vermicomposters.com - "Vermicomposting, worm bin, composting with worms community and forums" Most complete site.
  • Map showing Blowing Rock worm person
  • http://www.blueridgevermiculture.com/home.html - in west jefferson
• Wikipedia:Vermicompost
• Building a Homemade Worm Composting System
• http://www.vermiculturenorthwest.com/
• Composting with Redworms
• Composting with worms
• NC resources
  • NC Cooperative Extension Vermicomposting
    • Directory of Vermiculture Resources - North Carolina
• Kits:
  • FAMILY SIZE WORM COMPOSTING KIT - wood
  • Worm kit - Amazon
  • http://www.worms4earth.com/index.htm
• Designs:
  • http://www.instructables.com/id/Multi-Layer-Vermiculture-Bin/?ALLSTEPS
  • http://www.instructables.com/id/Worm-Condo-Composter/?ALLSTEPS
  • OscrJunior

Worm & Compost Tea

• Dr. Elaine Ingham - The Soil Food Web - has a basic tea recipe but lots of other interesting-looking stuff.
• Recipes
  • How To Make a Supercharged Worm Compost Tea - video. guy goes overboard in adding enhancing materials (humid acid, extra micros, etc) and explains why. Ingredients:
    • 3 tbsp humid acid (humates)
    • 1/4 cup rock dust
    • 1/4 cup sugar pelletized sea bird quano
    • 1/4 cup dehydrated unsulphered molasses
    • 3 cups worms casting
  • Castings Tea Everything! - good and thorough
  • Worm Tea Recipe - basic recipe
  • Fresh From the Farms:’ Worm Castings and Worm Casting Tea
  • The Best Compost Tea Recipe to Help Your Plants Thrive
    • • Ingredients and Supplies:
        • Non-chlorinated water (use rainwater, or allow tap water to sit for over 24 hours)
        • 1-2 cups of inoculant (either worm castings or compost)
        • ¼ – ½ cup of food source for bacteria or fungi
        • 5 gallon bucket
      • "Best Compost Tea Recipe for Boosting Plant Growth":
        • Non-chlorinated tap water (enough to fill a 5-gallon pail)
        • 2 cups fully finished organic compost (it should smell nice!)
        • 1 tablespoon unsulfured blackstrap molasses
        • 1 tablespoon liquid kelp fertilizer (or soak kelp meal in water)
        • 1 teaspoon liquid fish fertilizer
• Design for brewers
  • How To Make Worm Tea : Cheap Diy Worm Tea Brewer Under $25 - video
  • Deuley's Tea Brewer
  • DIY Compost Tea Brewer: How to make a compost tea brewer on a budget. (Under $50) - good design.
  • Plans for a home made 25-gallon compost tea brewer - from Oregon State Univ.

Compost/Worm Tumblers

• Homemade Worm Harvester - video - good modest sized.
• Wheel Barrel Worm Harvester-Separator Ver. 2 video - some sophisticated details
• http://www.nifty-stuff.com/homemade-rotary-trommel-screen.php
• http://www.instructables.com/id/Powered-Wheelbarrow-Trommel-1/
• http://thegreenlivingforum.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=106271 - very doable simple design
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omxfrbj7Qus - similar design
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GapN2ns1Xy4 - the nicest small one i've seen but doesn't give details of design.

Black Soldier Fly Composting

• The Black Soldier Fly How-to-Guide - excellent guide from UNC
• BSF Farming