Compost Successes, Failures and Opportunities: Growing Better Plants by Thomas R. Halbach Department of Soil, Water and Climate University of Minnesota SROC s Season Extension Day Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Learning Objectives p What is Composting? p Reviewing Successes. p Learning from Failures. p Developing Opportunities.
Compost Definitions p Composting is the accelerated biological oxidation of organic matter. p Composting takes time, planning, effort, and resources to do. p Compost operations must be economically viable if they are to continue. p Both site and off-site effects must be addressed.
Objectives of Composting p Reduce: volume; weight; odors; & pathogens p Reduce weed seeds p Stabilize organic matter p Provide plant nutrients p Provide beneficial microorganisms p Increase organic content of soils p Increase water holding capacity of the root zone
The Ancient History of Composting p China 6,800 years ago (Catton, 1984) p Peru 4,600 years ago (Ross, 2002) p India 3,500 years ago (Frawley, 1991) p Ethiopia 3,000 years ago (Poe, 1997) p Romans 2,168 years ago (Cato, 153 BC)
Banpo, China 6,800 years ago?
Caral, Peru compost 4,600 years ago
Kerala, India Farm 2009
The Last 110 Years of Composting p Sir Albert Howard started the modern age of composting 1905-1924, Indor, India. p T. Van Maanen of Wijster, Netherlands large scale composting 1931-1959. p Clarence G. Golueke at the University of California- Berkeley 1950-2004. p Jerry Goldstein began publishing the Compost Science journal 1960-2012
Making compost always involves the same principles Microbes do most of the work!
p Bacteria Microorganisms n Fast growing, Grow on easy accessible carbon n actinomycetes n Potential pathogens (Klebsiella, Salmonella, E.coli, etc.) p Fungi n Slow growing n Can use less accessible carbon
Bacteria p The most numerous biological component of compost is the bacteria. They often can exceed 1 billion microorganisms per gram of soil. p Associated with the consumption of easily degraded organic matter. They are the dominant population throughout the entire composting process, whereas the actinomycetes and fungi typically proliferate in the later stages.
Actinomycetes p Actinomycetes are visually similar to fungi in that they have networks of individual cells that form filaments or strands, they are a type of bacteria. p Actinomycetes number between 0.1 and 10 million per gram of soil. p Are responsible for the release of geosmin.
Fungi p Fungi form their individual cells into long filaments called hyphae. p Fungi number between 0.01 and 1 million propagules per gram of soil. p 70,000 different species of fungi have been described worldwide, but an estimated 1 million additional species remain Un-described/defined.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus with Glomalin
Biotechnology: Solid-State Fermentation Liquid Phase: aqueous Films Solid Phase: particulate substrate Water filled small pores Gas Phase: air in large pores
The Composting Process Organic Matter Minerals Water Microorganisms Water Heat Compost Pile CO 2 Organic matter, minerals, water, microbes Raw Materials Finished compost O 2
Analyze Markets Compost Process Flow Chart Feedstocks Determine Recipes Prepare Materials sort, grind, chip, shred, Mix Amendments Bulking Agents Active Composting Low Tech High Tech Curing Screening Product Refinement Compost Quality Assessment Blending overs Bagging Additives Storage
Basic Items to Manage to Make Compost p Feedstocks p Bulk Density p Oxygen p Water p Vertical Height & Mass p Heat p Time p Zonation
PN 1635
Compost Successes 1 1. Use of the Scientific Method. 2. International Information Availability. 3. Improved scientific and popular publications. 4. Improved storm damage processing systems.
Compost
Compost Successes 2 p Better equipment p Some examples of good operations. n Mississippi Topsoils, Inc. Cold Springs, MN n WLSSD Duluth, MN n Specialized Environmental Technologies, Eden Prairie, MN n Sustane Natural Fertilizer, Inc. Cannon Falls, MN. n Schroeder's Fox Valley Greenhouse, Green Bay, WI.
Compost Successes 3 p Jiangsu Key Lab. for Organic Utilization Nanjing Agricultural Univ. Nanjing, China. p International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) Vienna, Austria. p Clean and consistent feed stocks and good process control results in consistently uniform end products.
Learning from Failures 1 p Pembroke Pines, FL Sept 1991. $50 million to build. Operated by Reuter of Florida using Buhler equipment. Poor: engineering, design, construction, location, operation and economics. Closed 14 months after opening.
Learning from Failures 2 p MN mixed municipal solid waste composting 1988-1998. p >$108 million to build 9 facilities. p Poor: engineering, design, construction, location, operation and economics. p Economics, odor and contaminate problems.
Learning from Failures 3 p Rules need to be based on real world data. p You must know your actual costs and income to stay in business. p Experience and a commitment to continuous improvement fixes many problems. p Every compost is different!
Developing Opportunities 1 p Know the Rules! p Know your markets better than anyone else. p Look for a special position or activity that particularly suits your talents, skills and services.
Developing Opportunities 2 p Making specific products for specific customers, markets and uses. p Becoming information and service driven. p Accurate Measurement p Economic opportunities to expand
Developing Opportunities 3 p Expand your network of knowledgeable people. p Hire professional people. p Develop a good on-going educational program for all of your key people. p Develop a system to a identify trends.
Getting Started p Start with the End in Mind p Increase your understanding of microbial web that exists in aerobic composting p Use the knowledge that we already have about the biology and the environmental conditions of the compost process and how they are tied together to improve your composting operation
Questions How should organic materials best be utilized? Should compost be governed by Solid Waste Rules or Soil Amendment Rules? Current MPCA goals want a 14 times increase in compost tonnage made in MN. What would be required?
Questions? Thank You.
References p Carl J. Rosen, Peter M. Bierman, and Roger D. Eliason. Soil Test Interpretations and Fertilizer Management for Lawns, Turf, Gardens, and Landscape Plants. p http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/ handle/11299/49265/01731.pdf? sequence=1
Midwest Extension Compost School 1995-2015
The Midwest Composting School June 2-4, 2015, Wauconda, IL 60084 p Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension 104 North Westgate Jacksonville, IL 62650 friend@illinois.edu phone: 217-243-7424
Compost Basics: Initial Conditions page 1 1) Interconnected Free Air Space 55% - 75% of volume. 2) The ideal bulk density range for a compost recipe is 750-840 lb/yd 3. 3) O 2 above 6.0 % - 15 % everywhere in the pile. > 16 % for lowest odors 4) H 2 O keep the compost moisture between 44% and 60%. (10% less than WHC.) 5) Compost Organic Materials. 6) Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio 25:1-30:1
Compost Basics: Initial Conditions page 2 6) Mass min. is 1 yd 3 to as large as you need to reach temperatures 7) Pile Height > 39 in. < 84 in. 8) Particle Size < 2.75 in. > 1/8 in. 9) Microbes from mature compost is best ~0.5% 10) Temperature 131 F - 150 F ( > 150 F cool the pile!)
Compost Basics: Initial Conditions page 3 11) Zonation is the colder 35% of the outside of the pile. 12) turn the pile 3-7 times. 13) pathogen reduction: > 131 F for 15 days or longer, daily log required. 14) time shortest = 112 days (to years) 15) ph 6.0-7.7 16) With experience fine-tune your management program.
Nutrient Requirements/Supply An Example Turf grass needs 2 6 lbs. N/1000 sq. ft. Topdressing turf areas 1 ton compost (at 50% H 2 O), each 1% N = 10 lbs. N n ½ inch (34 tons) layer of compost/a = 340 lbs./n n at 25% available N (1 st year) = 85 lbs./n/a or approximately 2 lbs./1000 sq. ft.
Compost Application Rates p Depth Yards 3 /acre Tons/acre p 1/8 inch 16.9 6.8 p ¼ inch 33.8 13.5 p ½ inch 67.5 27.0 p 1 inch 135 54.0 p 2 inches 270 108.0 The depth of compost application should not be more than 20% of Tillage Depth.