by Master Composter, Joe Gierlach

The Zen of CompostIncorporating the Circle of Life into Your Routine

The Zen of Compost… The Circle and Cycle

● Circle of Life:birth, life, death, re-birth

● Cycle of Life:meals, gardening, menstrual, seasonal, tidal, lunar,

Waste Categories● Cycle of Life:● Wicker basket of recyclables

fills up every three weeks

● Reduce, Reuse , Recycle

● In the recyclables includes: Cardstock and Paperboard- Pull it out of your recycling

● Tear paperboard into smaller pieces when you get them.

(Approx every 3-4 days)

Waste Categories

Cardboard● Typical paper shredder

Fills up every six weeks

( It could be used forguinea pig bedding before composting … just sayin. )

Food Preparation● When preparing food● Composting as a daily

Component of Meals.

● Cut debris into 2” piecesor less.

● Emptied every 3-4 days

Waste Categories● Why 2” pieces?

It increases the surface area● So, … coffee grounds &

sawdust are ideal? - YES!

● Use a recycled can, or buy a charcoal filtered one at Bed Bath & Beyond for $29.95

Mixing food & Cardboard● Keep a regular garbage can in

the garage. (fill 2:1 ratio)● 2/3 Carbon (paper),● 1/3 Nitrogen (food scraps)

● Cycle of Life:● Empty the garbage can every

nine weeks

Compost Bins● Add garbage can to your

compost bin in layers.(Alternate new and old)

● Notice the seasonal variances:

● Perhaps more fireplace ash in the winter

● Perhaps more yard debris in the summer

● Bin contents continue to shrink all season.

Bin Location● Feng Shui: Positive Chi● Where to locate it for the

“Cycle of Life” ?

● Feng Shui Cycle of Elements:● Usually Earth Element

(South West)● This is Not a “waste bin”

Bin Location● Feng Shui: Bagua Chart● Not a “waste bin”

We are making living earth

● Usually Earth Element● Usually South-West● Symbol: Six Pink Bars

Sift Once at: Spring, Winter & Fall● Sifting in each season

It’s the Cycle of Life

● All you need are two things ...

● a Wheelbarrow● and a ¼” Screen

Sifting● Load with a pitchfork● Slide hand across the screen

● Look for worms

Red Wigglers (eisenia fetida)● Red Wigglers live 3-4 Years● They eat 3x their body weight

weekly

● Worm eggs will hatch if the conditions are favorable

Vermicomposting● Return the remaining larger

pieces of compost back into the bin.

● Extra points if youLive in the moment:

● Notice the rhythm of loading, sifting & returning to the bin.

Red Wigglers (eisenia fetida)● Notice which parts of the

worm bin that the worms occupy

● 1 pound of worms can produce 10 pounds of worms in 4 months.

Seasonal Family Fun● Spring bin sifting

Rejuvenates the Environment for the Worms

● Summer bin sifting is for regular maintenance

● Fall bin siftingPrepares for Winter

Black Gold! (vermicast)● The result is Black Gold:● Sifted Compost

(Includes some worm eggs)

● Seven Times Richer than compost from Fungi and Bacteria

Black Gold! (vermicast)● Nourishes soil with Nitrogen,

Phosphorus, & Potassium… or about an N-P-K ratio of 3.2 - 1.1 - 1.5

● Releases slowly (doesn’t burn)● Increases Vegetable Yield● Natural herbicide● Excellent loam (like Peat)

The Zen of Compost● People often ask me:

“Do you want my … ?”“… Not really.”

● It is a Connection to your own personal waste creation

● So, I give them a bucket of worms.

by Master Composter, Joe Gierlach

The Zen of CompostIncorporating the Circle of Life into Your Routine