Compost
Beginning Farmer and Ranchers Development Program
Kohala Center
NOTES from class on May 25, 2019 by Jim Crum
Presentations by Norman Arancon (for registered Students only):
– Composting
– Principals of Vermicomposting
– Vermicomposting and Teas
– 2016 Vermicompost Water Extracts
Dr. Norman Arancon
UH Hilo
Been there 10 years and Ohio before that for 11 years
Vermicomposting vs composting
– $12/ pound worms are $180 here
– teaching as a course at UH but only 10 people so may be cut next year-
Composting
– been around forever
– bin or on the ground
– Biological process
Aerobatic (requires oxygen) is what is focused on vs anaerobic (no oxygen and creates methane
– biogas and all that is left is sludge)
– biological process that requires turning to make sure every particle in it is oxygenated- controlled condition:
— nutrient balance of carbon (brown) to nitrogen (green). Critical!
— moisture content
— temperature is a byproduct of aerobic microbe activity. Not over 160degrees or they catch fire. 110-140 is normal and required by EPA for 72 hours to kill human pathogens
— air
Takes 6 weeks (minimum) to complete if you have all the right elements- turn it once a week
– air pumped into it can work
Don’t put it straight on the ground because byproducts can be viruses and such that leech into the ground. Weed mat is ok for backyard setups
If commercial, you are responsible for a salmonella, ecoli, helminth, enteric viruses, etc. outbreak and you are liable
C:N is preferred 25-30:1 Moisture is 50-60%Oxygen >6% but 16-18.5%
*apply 2 or more weeks before harvest
Whatever stream you have, work with it and try not to bring in things outside the farm
Best manure additives for Nitrogen C:N
– horse and swine is 30:1
– cattle (if from a slurry) and turkey grass clipping 19:1 but collect from
– Carbon C:N
– newsprint is 398-852:1. Soak in water and then shred it
– cardboard 563:1- sawdust and wood chips: 442:1- bark 109-130:1
– People are being composted and is more valuable than ash as fertilizer.
– Sewage is 16:1
– Melorganite
– humanure (night soil) and pasteurized and therefore the benefits of compost is gone.
Nearly all are pasteurized and especially if out of state. If pasteurized, then of little value so make your own or get local. (Sunshine hardware in Hawi has some, Hilo transfer station)
You can compost anything as long as it is got enough and covered to keep critters out.
Moisture required to heat up. 50% feels moist but not damp
C1V1 = C2V2
Stop compost pile when it is 5’x5’x5’ and. Turn it every week for 6 weeks.
40# bag is worth $527 pounds out of 100 pounds
Build a 4x4x4 on palettes on tarpKeep it covered until it reaches that height, then start turning it.
Need to chop it up 1-2 inches max and covered
Precomposting (140 degrees for 72 hours of manure and to get rid of weedseeds and meet EPA requirements for manure
End products:- fertilizer (if not pasteurized)- soil conditioner- land reclamation- livestock bedding- nursery container media- disease control
Holland is best for composting and use it for reclamation
Ohio State has the gurus for composting and vermicomposting
In a teaspoon of soil have a million microorganisms. There are a few that are bad but overwhelmed by the good
Nematodes: microscopic worms that cause a cancerous response and disfigure carrots. Compost can control nematodes. – 4 types, only one is parasitic so
Compost tea: magnify it’s effect with a small amount and make it 10:1. – time consuming- immediate effect- less long-lasting effect compared to soil so may need to be applied weekly- “tea time in the tropics” (Ted Radovich) is free online- make in a bucket for a week without aeration, or 24 hours with aeration
Screen compost at end of process to get the best kind
2”x 2” screening typically, but 1”x 1” is better quality
Benefits to plants- nutrient release- produce hormones- reduce disease and parasites- increases biological activity and diversity- improve tilth and structure of soil
*“Vermiculture Technology” book by Clive Edwards and Norman Arancon is expensive but worth a look
“I buy worms from 12 year old kid on island.”
Typical soil
– 25% Air
– 25% water
– 5% organic matter (10% microorganisms)
Earthworms
– used to predict earthquakes when they come to the surface because of vibrations.
– have multiple hearts
– formaldehyde 100mil per gallon can be put on the soil because they are sensitive to soil
– cut them beyond 8 segments and they will live. Cut them exactly in 1/2 and they will die
– produce cocoons about the size of a mung bean. Greenish brown
– work with other microorganisms in 4-6 weeks to create soil.
Lava takes 400 years to turn into soil.
Types- red wrigglers with yellow tails. Not good for bait because of secretions- Indian blues have a purple sheen. Very prolific. Highly social and leave the bin. – tenisteits.
Mites are in the habitat and will attack the
Waste for worms (worst to best)- chicken, turkey, duck, horse (if not dewormed), cattle, pig, rabbit- brewery, potato, paper, sewage (night soil), restaurant, food market, yard waste
Precomposte before vermicomposting – 60-75 degrees- no more than a couple inches or material on top- automated continuous flow reactors
Vermiculture toiletshttp://www.vermicompostingtoilets.net/
To use animal feces, dissolve in water to break it down.
“How Vermicompost affects plants” UHHilo by
Worm Tea- ACT: aerated- NCT: do not or minimal disturbing- Home Brewer: 5 gallon bucket with a mesh bag (nylon paint strainer) over the top. Stirred occasionally to aerate- helps dramatically with germination if soaked for 1 hour but only 1-5% VC Tea. Too concentrated can become toxic- 5% to 10% Vermicompost tea is the sweet spot.
Biochar- empty cells when they are initially deposited- absorbs everything around it as an empty cell so grabs everything. Only has value once it is full and wants to give back- add it to your composite to have it absorb there. – it’s a home to microbes and nutrients
4788 gate code
20×100 = 500(x)+15(y)
Podcast- farmer to farmer- Ted radio hour- my favorite murder- invisibilia- this American life- the illusionist- song exploder
Ag census is how we get details of crop volume and weight per acre. Utilized production. Total harvested column is what comes out net. Divide acres by pounds. Multiply by nitrogen to know how much is needed to add per acre to add enough. Assume 100 trees per acre.
CTAHR has stats on recommended plant nutrients sufficiency values.