Composting

Helpful Information About Composting

Composting is a natural process that turns organic waste into a rich soil additive called compost. It offers many environmental benefits, including reducing waste and keeping organic matter, such as kitchen scraps and yard waste, out of landfills.  

  • Turning what we would normally take to the landfill into compost will change the structure of the soil. 
  • Composting not only enriches the soil but helps to maintain moisture (you use less water) and suppresses plant diseases and pests. 
  • Compost reduces the need for fertilizers. 
  • Compost helps mitigate climate change because the aerobic processes dramatically reduce methane emissions instead of anaerobic decomposition in the landfill.

The recipe for great compost consists of organic materials, which are rich in nitrogen (green material), such as kitchen scraps from prep work, green weeds/grass from the yard, and coffee grounds. Brown materials rich in carbon, such as organic straw, dried leaves and pine needles, cardboard, newspaper, and woodchips, need to be included, and a certain percentage of each material should be green to brown. In Taos County, you can start with a 70%-30% mix, greens to browns. Avoid dairy, meat, oil foods, and glossy or coated paper. 

The right amount of water and air is important for microorganisms (protozoa, fungi, bacteria, nematodes) to break down the materials into compost effectively. If we provide our plants with essential nutrients, it will help maintain an ecological balance that encourages organic and eco-friendly growing practices that address waste management, soil health, water, and greenhouse emissions, promote diversity, and provide a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers. 

There are different types of composting:

  • Hot Composting: Hot composting is an accelerated composting technique that requires monitoring the pile to maintain high temperatures (between 130 and 160 degrees F), which will burn out the weed seeds and pathogens. Depending on the materials, pile size, and environmental conditions, this method can create compost within 21 days.
  • Cold Composting: Cold composting is a slower approach, requiring less maintenance. The materials decompose over time, and the microorganisms operate at lower temperatures compared to the hot compost microorganisms. This method of composting takes longer, and it does not generate enough heat to effectively burn off weed seeds and pathogens.
  • Vermicomposting: Vermicomposting requires a certain kind of worm, a red wiggler, to decompose organic waste. It has a mighty jaw!  Vermicompost is the cleanest compost you can get. The only thing is that they can’t burn out the weed seed, so you must be careful what you feed them. The worms consume what you feed them, and their poop (worm castings) creates a very rich compost. This method can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on temperatures. Vermicomposting should be odorless if done correctly. Casting should be available in about 6 months. This is excellent for small-scale composting or introducing it to other compost piles.

COMPOST - Backyard compost pilesLet’s Begin:

Choose a site: Choose a site that is convenient, well-drained, and the right size, as you want to be able to reach around the pile for turning. 

Gather your materials: If possible, soak your materials overnight in water. This process will help add enough water to the pile. 

Build your compost pile: To build your pile, begin layering each material. I like to start with woodchips and end with woodchips to help keep the greens safe from animals. Add water as you go; do not overwater the pile and make it waterlogged. Compost should have the dampness of a wrung-out sponge. You can test this by squeezing some in your hand, and water should drip just between your fingers. 

Maintaining and monitoring your compost pile: Maintaining your compost pile is crucial for achieving good compost. Keep an eye on the moisture of your pile. If you are doing a hot compost pile, the hottest part of the pile will be in the middle; each part of the pile needs to have been in the middle at least once to burn out the weed seed. If your pile is too hot, turn it and add water. The pile can combust at 170 degrees! Your pile will decrease in size by half through the composting process.

Harvesting your compost: Harvesting the compost is the final step. You are ready to spread it in your growing areas. It should be a coco color, crumbly, and earthly smelling. When applying your compost, it does not take much, as it is a nutritious layer with living microorganisms. Compost should never burn your plants. 

Caution: When using manure in compost building, it’s good to ask if the animal was given antibiotics. If so, the pile may not heat up if you are making hot compost. If the animal has been given a dewormer, this will also create a problem in your pile, as you want worms to help break down organic matter. (Luckily, Taos ranchers use very little of these medications for their animals.)  - Julie Shedko, Lettuce Grow Farm