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What is Compost?
Decomposed organic material
Why Compost?
Recycling, reduce waste Improves the soil Adds nutrients to the soil Food for plants Environmentally responsible Monetary benefit
What Can be Composted?
Just Say No To Garden and Lawn
Drugs
Outline Overview Virginia Tech’s new interdisciplinary
offering - Organic Horticulture and Landscape Systems
A Bit on Soil Biology and Healthy Soil Composting and Compost Use Vermicomposting
Up Front SlidesThe First Priority: How???
Balance Healthy Plants Healthy Soil Biologically Active Soil
Up Front SlidesThe First Priority: How???
Compost Insect Diversity Plant Diversity Obey the Seven Organic Rules And…
95% of Pest and Disease Control is attributable to plant health.
99%+ of Plant Health is dependent on healthy soil.
100% of Soil Health is dependent on good organic content and biological diversity.
100% of Soil Health problems are due to chemicals, pesticides and other man-made interference.
Seven Organic Rules1.1. Always use the best adapted varieties for each Always use the best adapted varieties for each
environment.environment.2.2. Plant in the preferred season.Plant in the preferred season.3.3. Balance the mineral content of the soil.Balance the mineral content of the soil.4.4. Build and maintain the soil organic content – Build and maintain the soil organic content –
humus.humus.5.5. Do nothing to harm the beneficial soil life.Do nothing to harm the beneficial soil life.6.6. Consider troublesome insects and diseases as Consider troublesome insects and diseases as
symptoms of one of the above rules having been symptoms of one of the above rules having been violatedviolated
7.7. Be patient. Mother Nature gives birth, but Father Be patient. Mother Nature gives birth, but Father Time controls the cyclesTime controls the cycles- - from from Lessons in NatureLessons in Nature by Malcolm Beck by Malcolm Beck
Remember
Soil is at the root of all your plant problems!
And
Feed the Soil and It’ll Feed the Plants!
It’s Alive!!!
Just like Plants and Animals; The Soil is Alive!
We Have to Treat It the Same As Other Living
Things
What We Dread Germs – Disease Bugs
Weeds
The Outcome
If we win the war to control Nature, we
WILL be on the losing side!
Principals of Organic Horticulture
We focus on pollution of the:Atmosphere - AirHydrosphere - WaterBiosphere – Flora & Fauna, Us
But not the Lithosphere – The Soil
Principals of Organic Horticulture Figure Out The Fertilizer
What’s This Good For?
10-10-10
Principals of Organic Horticulture Figure Out The Fertilizer
And This?
3-36-9
The Questions
Can You Figure Out What Vitamins, Minerals, Nutrients You Should Take For A Week?
Would You Want a Weeks Worth of Meals for Sunday Dinner?
Here Are The Basic Plant Needs
Carbon (C) Iron (Fe)Hydrogen (H) Boron (B)Oxygen (O) Zinc (Zn)Nitrogen (N) Copper (Cu)Phosphorus (P) Manganese (Mn)Potassium (K) Molybdenum (Mo)Magnesium (Mg) Chlorine (Cl)Calcium (Ca) Cobalt (Co)Sulfur (S)
= 17 Basic needs
Don’t Forget,Those Are Just The Elementals.
Then You Have: Amino Acids Humic & Fulvic Acids Photosynthetic Sugars Mycorrhizal Fungi And Lots More Stuff In The Plant & Soil
Food Web
Principals of Organic Horticulture
But This One Tells The Tale!!But This One Tells The Tale!!• Importance of Proper Mineral Balance – If One is Out
of Balance, It Effects Others in a Detrimental Manner
Principals of Organic Horticulture
How did plants survive B.C. (Before Chemicals)?
The Soil Food Web is comprised of
microorganisms that provide nutrients and health to the plants as
well as the soil.
Principals of Organic Horticulture
Principals of Organic Horticulture
Function of Soil Organisms
Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of Soil Organisms
Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of Soil Organisms
Fill a Swimming Pool with Salt =
Osmotic Shock
Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of Soil Organisms
Just Say No To Garden and Lawn Drugs =
Osmotic Shock
Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of Soil Organisms
Soil Soil microbes Plants Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores
Everybody Feeds the Soil
Principals of Organic Horticulture Function of Soil Organisms
If the microbes in the soil are disrupted and the nutrient cycle is out of balance then we have the recipe for Pest, Weeds and Pathogens.
If the microbes in the soil are disrupted and the nutrient cycle is out of balance then we have the recipe for Pest, Weeds and Pathogens.
Principals of Organic HorticultureCaring For The Soil As A Living
System Three Aspects of Soil Health & Fertility
Physical Chemical – Organic Chemistry: cations – anions Biological
Requirements of a Living System Food Air Water “Shelter” – Soil structure & Conservation Living Organism - Biota
Principals of Organic HorticultureCaring For The Soil As A Living
System
The Organic Matter Cycle
&
The Soil Food Web
Principals of Organic Horticulture Feeding the Soil a Balanced Diet Compost Cover Crops Organic Mulches Other Organic Residues Lime, Other Natural Minerals and
Organic Nutrients
Questions?
Compost HappensCompost Happens
Don’t Do This At Home!
Do This, Instead
Why CompostHealthier Soil & PlantsMore Soil BiologyNo Chemistry 501 Less –Icides (Pest, Herb, Fung)Less Chemical FertilizersLess Chemical StinkLess $$$
Why CompostBottom Line
CheapSimpleNo Chemicals which Kill
the Soil OrganismsBetter Plant and Water
Quality
What is Composting?
What Are The Types Of Composting?
Yard Waste (Thermal), Worm, Biosolids
& Compost Tea
Worm Your Way Into Composting!
Compost Can Be Used To:
Add Beneficial OrganismsAdd NutrientsHelp Sandy Soil Hold MoistureLoosen Heavy Clay SoilsMake Potting SoilMulch
Excellent Compost Materials
Excellent Compost Materials
“GREENIES“(Nitrogen)
Coffee GroundsCover Crops
SeaweedVegetable scraps
Egg shellsFruit
WeedsGrass clippings
40%
"BROWNIES“(Carbon)
HayLeavesStraw
NutshellsShredded paper
Pine needlesSaw dust
Garden stalks60%
Other Excellent Sources
Of
Compost
My Friend Flicka
Elsie the Cow
Bugs Bunny
And all the Friends of the Colonel
Don’t Use
Rin Tin Tin’s Residue
Sylvester’s Exhaust
Or Little Johnny’s John Quests
More Problem Stuff
Disease & insect infested plants Noxious weeds Meat scraps Dairy products Cooking oils & grease