Compost is an essential need in building healthy soil. The Garden of Union has hosted a large system (14 ton annually) in cooperation with the Park Slope Food Coop for many years. Claudia Joseph was the site coordinator from 2005 -2017 and steered the group design process to expanded the system as the PSFC rapidly gained members – growing from 5,000 to 16,000 following the building’s expansion. The bins were designed and constructed by Open Road NY. The compost system was open to all garden members, whether they gardened or not, as well as neighbors and the general public. As an educational model it was visited by Master Composting student groups from each of the 5 boroughs as well as local school groups.
The Old Stone House partnered with Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 2009 to construct 3 mega-bins at MS 51. We used these for our annual pumpkin smash, for landscape waste and in partnership with restaurants as a study for the MS 51 Science Fair. Cafe Martin supplied buckets of coffee and Rosewater restaurant brought vegetable waste. Classes compared how various materials performed by tracking temperatures and examining the material and biological life within it.
The Old Stone House and PSFC built 3 extra-sturdy bins in the OSH educational Farm Garden in May 2014. A neighborhood compost club was started in 2016. Volunteers from Brooklyn Botanic Gardens trained neighbors who wanted to participate. Connecting them to the garden had several positive results: more material, more support and great feedback. Thanks to a grant from Citizen’s Committee for NYC and major support from the Park Slope Food Coop, compost is made onsite and continually enriches the gardens . Special thanks to our designer/carpenters Lloyd Hicks and Tom Twente and to Joe Holtz and Phil Collosi at PSFC for making the bins possible.
BASIC RECIPE for COMPOST
Ingredients:
Nitrogen rich material: usually green or wet
Carbon rich material: usually brown and dry
Moisture: damp but not soaking wet
Air: an oft overlooked element. Aerating with a corkscrew or by turning the material is a quick solution to many problems.
Process
Chop or shred all raw materials.
Mix the brown and green materials together in equal parts. (Many books say 80/20 but you can tinker with the ratio).
If conditions are very dry, add water. Bin will be drier at edges than in the middle and drier on top than on the bottom. Too much water creates anaerobic(airless) conditions that are nasty.
Nitrogen is in all fresh organic material – green leaves, grass, weeds and food scraps. It is present in fresh coffee grounds and manure which are brown.
Carbon rich material includes brown leaves, sawdust, paper and nut husks. Nitrogen moves into the air as green material dries out leaving primarily carbon material behind.
Nitrogen is often referred to as “green” material and carbon as “brown”. This is a general guideline and there are some exceptions. Another way to think of it is that nitrogen is “wet” and carbon is “dry” organic material.
Trouble-shooting Guide
Use additional carbon material, as necessary for odor and insect control.
Bugs = too much nitrogen or a wet condition.
Odor? not enough air – turn the pile or aerate with a corkscrew. Or it could be too much nitrogen material in the mix.
No break-down/no heat? Too much carbon or not chopped enough. May need water.
Whole foods will remain whole for many months. Entry points for bacteria are key to decomposition. The more you chop and turn, the faster decomposition happens.
What not to compost:
Anything greasy
Feces of animals that eat meat
Large items that do not break down: Wheat grass mats, flower arrangements, coconut shells
Starch – can be used but does not benefit the system. Spread out so a gloppy spot does not form.
Egg shells look like litter in the landscape, you may wish to bake and grind them first. They are calcium rich.
Soil – use it in the landscape not in the bin. A cup of forest soil may used to introduce beneficial microorganisms.
Although most materials will decompose eventually, in urban systems, omit all meat and eggs. Avocado pits do not break down and can be problematic.
To maintain hygienic systems in urban areas, be cautious and monitor your bin daily.
Turning will speed the decomposition process and help control odor by introducing air into the system.
When you are finished adding material, always cover it with a layer of carbon material so that nitrogen material is not visible. This inhibits both odor and insect activity.
There is often a condition to adjust – observe your system often!
Review: Use an even amount of mixed browns and greens. The more you chop and mix the faster it works. No greasy stuff or starch. Some moisture and air! A square of cardboard on top helps to keep insects away.