Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District

“to protect and enhance Maine's soil and water resources by providing educational programs, conservation information and technical assistance to municipalities, schools, landowners and residents of Kennebec County."

And now for a form of recycling near and dear to my heart: Composting       

Dale Finseth

October 28, 2002

   One form of recycling is composting. It reduces the amount of waste we would need to manage otherwise. It can produce a useful and valuable product used as a soil amenity. The operation can be large, using the wastes from entire communities or commercial enterprises, or it can be as small as a bin of worms or a garbage can in your basement. My focus is on household composting. It’s a personal interest: an activity that makes a measurable difference, regardless of how small. And it’s an activity that appeals to my personality type i.e. thrifty/cheap.

Composting transforms organic waste into a soil-like material called compost. Approximately 2/3rds of our country’s waste stream is either yard wastes, food wastes, or paper and paperboard. As an avid gardener, all are abundantly available at my home. So..., I can do this with minimum financial investment, minor change in my behavior, and with readily observable results.

I’m not going to go on and on about the science and chemistry of composting. Personally, I enjoy that part. The fact that composting is an ongoing science project filled with surprises is part of my reward. What I appreciate and hope to share is how composting can be a reflection of your personal philosophy.

Cooking, gardening, woodworking are all personal hobbies. Part of what appeals to me is the choice I get to exercise over the result. Recipes get modified, spring and fall plantings and gardens get rearranged, a simple set of shelves sprouts decorative wings or odd moldings. Composting lends itself to that personal tick.

Start with the basics - mix carbon and nitrogen sources at about a 30:1 ratio by weight [remember your carbon sources tend to be lighter]; add or maintain moisture [damp to the touch - tightly squeezed should only generate a drop or two of liquid]; and keep the compost aerated [turn or tumble the mix]. Like any good recipe you can modify your technique within broad parameters. After all, you are not Woods End Laboratory in Mt. Vernon selling your composting expertise internationally. Nor are you generating tons of compost to sell commercially. You are projecting your personal preferences onto the landscape.

Competitive and want to create the highest temperatures or the shortest composting time? Invest in nifty tools and turn the compost regularly. Go for a standing temperature of 120-150°; try and generate yards of compost with perfect texture.   Or enjoy collecting ingenious tools and gizmos? Get a catalogue; try all the turners, tumblers, worm bins ..., you name it—buy it.   Or like the science? Use multiple methods; use the thermometer and soil testing kit; keep a log; track the data on the calendar.

You a bit of a couch potato but interested? Make a heap of stuff; pay attention to the mixture occasionally [too slimy, add carbon sources, dry and not much happening, add some nitrogen sources]; turn it a couple times a year. After 6 months or a year, shovel the result into a wheelbarrow and spread it around your garden.

Pat yourself on the back when the garbage collector asks why you only generate half what you used to, or the neighbor asks why your tomatoes are doing so well. As for me, I plan to cook a turkey in my compost pile for Thanksgiving. It’s just the sorta person I am.  

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has excellent resource materials that offer designs and more about composting science.    Call them at 622-7546 or check out the Extension website at www.umext.maine.edu