| Composting converts waste, leaves, kitchen scraps
and garden wastes, into a valuable product which, when used in
the garden, results in healthier plant growth when added to garden
soil. |
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| Composting can also help solve our society's
solid waste disposal problem. Food and yard waste comprise over
30% of our solid wastes nationwide. |
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| This slideshow will introduce you to five basic
aspects of home composting: the organisms that are involved in
the composting process; manageable components in the composting
process; types of materials that can be composted; home composting
systems; and uses of compost. |
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I. Organisms Involved in the Compost Process |
| Decomposition is a natural part of the nutrient
cycle of living things. Composting is simply human intervention
to enhance and accelerate the decay process |
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| Composting is a microbiological process. Many
organisms have evolved to use decaying matter as their food source.
Bacteria are among the simplest and most common organisms. Single-celled
and microscopic, they are found almost everywhere in the environment.
Although they are too small for us to see, they are responsible
for most decomposition. (Special thanks to David Emerson). |
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| Fungi and molds are also important. White rot
fungi are well adapted to decompose woody materials like chipped
brush. |
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| Mites and other soil invertebrates feed on bacteria
and fungi, helping to keep their populations in check. Competition
among the different organisms insures that only the most efficient
decomposers multiply. (Substitution - slide not available
in electronic form). |
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| Earthworms are perhaps the most familiar decomposer.
By blending soil and organic matter in their digestive track,
they produce stable, nutrient-rich aggregates that improve the
structure of soil. (Substitution - slide not available in
electronic form. Special thanks to Seattle Tilth Association). |
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| All decomposers are bound together in a complex
feeding web. They turn organic wastes into a usable humus for
the soil. (Substitution - original slide not available in
electronic form). |
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