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COMPOSTING
Composting is the rotting down of plant and
animal residues before it is applied to the soil.
Composting is the natural process of
recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. IMPORTANCE OF COMPOSTING Sangalang, et.al (1977) claim that the composting process involves the decomposition of organic materials to form small bits of organic matter called compost. The whole process is done by organisms that use organic matter principally as a source of carbon and secondarily as a source of nitrogen and other elements for their growth and reproduction. If the organic matter contains little or no N, the microorganism gets it from the soil. A majority of the decomposers are microorganism. Microorganisms such as earthworms, termite, and other insects also contribute in breaking down organic materials. Therefore, the two requirements for the process to occur are (1) composting materials and (2) decomposers to speed up the process. The composting materials must be easy to decompose, and the needs of the microorganisms must be adequately supplied. WHAT DO COMPOST ORGANISMS NEED? According to INGO (2005), the needs of the compost organisms are:
1. Balanced Diet of Compost Materials
“Browns” – Browns are compost materials that are brown and dry. Examples of which are sawdust, dried leaves, straw and small twigs, and others. “Browns” are high in carbon, which for microbes are energy food. “Greens” – Greens are compost materials that are green and moist like kitchen wastes, grass cuttings, and the like. “Greens” are high in nitrogen, which microbes need to make proteins
Composition of a balanced diet of compost organisms
If you add about 3 parts of browns to 1 part of greens, then the compost organisms will have a balanced diet. 2. Right amount of air and water
If there is the right amount of oxygen and
moisture, microbes can rapidly grow and multiply. If there is too much or too little water, then the microbes die.
Compost materials should have a thin film of
water around them, and many pore spaces filled with air. 3. Right temperature
Organic materials will eventually decay even in a
cold compost pile. However, the decay process is sped up in a hot compost pile.
When bacteria and fungi grow rapidly, they burn a
lot of food, and give off a lot of heat. If the compost pile is big enough, the heat will build up inside the pile. Bacteria that grow well at high temperature take over and speed up the decay process. METHODS OF COMPOSTING Sheet Composting “Sheet composting, also known as sheet mulching, can be a great way to add organic matter back into your soils. Essentially, this composting technique entails spreading thin layers of organic materials (i.e. compost ingredients) on top of the soil surface. Some also consider this technique to be "composting in place." Using green manure is another means of sheet composting. This technique is often used on a large scale; however, it can also be done successfully in your backyard.” In-vessel Composting
“In-vessel composting is becoming more and more popular with
large-scale compost producers. This method involves composting within an enclosed containment system, often a large cylindrical- shaped container. The equipment involved in setting up an in-vessel composting system is typically quite expensive, and therefore usually limits it's usage to industrial-sized composting operations. There are numerous benefits of in-vessel composting, such as an increased processing speed, year-round composting, and a highly controlled environment.” Anaerobic Composting
“Anaerobic composting describes the biological breakdown
of organic materials by living anaerobic organisms. This may not be the most odorrific composting method, but it can be quite effective. Some of the benefits of composting anaerobically include the following: it is one of the most basic means of producing compost; it can be done on a small scale; and it typically produces more humus per unit of starting material than most other composting methods.” Trench Composting
“Trench composting involves digging holes in
your garden soil and burying raw compost ingredients. Some people swear by this method, whereas others want nothing to do with it. Similar to anaerobic composting, this method of decomposition is quite simple; however, the materials tend to take longer to breakdown than when using other composting techniques.” Bokashi Composting
“Bokashi is a Japanese term meaning fermented organic
matter. Therefore, bokashi composting describes the making of compost via fermentation. To achieve optimal results, your compost materials are inoculated with a microbial starter culture, and placed inside a sealed container. These starter cultures consist of several different species of microorganisms, all of which thrive in anaerobic conditions. One of the most popular microbial inoculants is called Effective Microorganisms or EM.” Composting Barrels
“Composting barrels, or compost tumblers, are a great
composting technique for backyard growers. They are self- contained, clean, and if big enough, can produce a fair amount of compost in a short period.” Vermicomposting
According to Lomat (undated), normal decomposition of
grass cuttings can take up to six months. However, this can be accelerated to as short as 30 – 45 days by the use of earthworms to digest the organic materials. This is called vermicomposting (vermis in Latin) that yield beneficial by-products known as vermicompost or vermicast. In a single process, two products are produced: the vermicast which is pure worm excreta and the worm biomass. Direction: Identify the terms that being described.
____________1. It is the rotting down of plant and animal residues
before it is applied to the soil. ____________2. This method of composting are self-contained, clean, and if big enough, can produce a fair amount of compost in a short period. ____________3. This method of composting may not be the most odorrific composting method, but it can be quite effective. ____________4. Compost materials that are green and moist like kitchen wastes, grass cuttings, and the like. ____________5. It is also known as sheet mulching, can be a great way to add organic matter back into your soils.