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Seeding Dallas November 11 Nature Law of Return Forest Floor - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Seeding Dallas November 11 Nature Law of Return Forest Floor - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Seeding Dallas November 11 Nature Law of Return Forest Floor Decomposition Build more topsoil Protects soil Recycle to new life Compost vs Mulch What is composting? What is good compost? Compost Happens Composting
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Nature – Law of Return
- Forest Floor
- Decomposition
- Build more topsoil
- Protects soil
- Recycle to new life
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Compost vs Mulch
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What is composting? What is good compost?
- Compost Happens – Composting is managing the combinations to
produce a good compost to amend soil for growing plants.
- Good compost is active and alive. Millions of diverse microbes
- Good compost is a food resource for fungal/bacterial feeders
- Good compost has ambient temperature.
- Good compost is dark brown and crumbly aggregate.
- Good compost smells like the forest floor.
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Composting System – M3AT
- Mass
- Materials
- Moisture
- Air
- Temperature
- Tools - pitchfork
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Mass and Location
- 3ft x 3ft x3ft
- Contained or piles on
ground
- Sunny area
- Central for movement of
materials
- Collection area for
building compost piles
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C.E. Shepherd Bins – Right size, stores, removes for turning. Build Pile and flip pile when turning.
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Materials – Diversity is Key
- Organic Trimmings
- Carbon material – Brown and Dry
- Nitrogen material – Green and
Moist
- 2/3 Carbon to 1/3 Nitrogen in
volume
- Particle size matters
- Small scale composting – limits
to materials
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Spent plants from the garden are chopped, composted and return to the soil. Bacteria based for growing soft tissue plants vs. fungi based for woody plants.
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Moisture
- Water throughout layers
as you build pile
- Damp sponge feel
- City water and chlorine vs
Rain Water
- Add water while turning
pile
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Air
- Aerobic vs Anaerobic
- Use your sense of smell
- Bulky and woody materials adds space
- Container vented
- Solution – Turn pile when temperature drops
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Temperature
- Heats up to 135 within 24 hours
- Turn when temp lowers – about 10
days
- Too high temperature will kill off good
microbes
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What is composting? What is good compost?
- Compost Happens – Composting is managing the combinations to
produce a good compost to amend soil for growing plants.
- Good compost is active and alive. Millions of diverse microbes
- Good compost is a food resource for fungal/bacterial feeders
- Good compost has ambient temperature.
- Good compost is dark brown and crumbly aggregate.
- Good compost smells like the forest floor.
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Compost Use
- Soil amendment – Add ½
inch soil – Lay on top like mulch
- Gently scratch in to existing
soil to plant seeds.
- Lawns – ¼ - ½ inch spread
- ver existing grass
- Sidedress plants when start
to set (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants)
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Compost Tea – Drench and Foliar Feed
- My favorite way to make compost tea
- Air temps between 40 and 90 degrees
- Vortex stirring adds air
- Horticulture molasses and fish emulsion
- Microbes multiplied
- Watering can application
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