Love Dirt. healthy soil, healthy future. Mission Composts! John Paul, PhD President

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1 Love Dirt healthy soil, healthy future Mission Composts! John Paul, PhD President

2 Mission Composts! Soil organic matter What is compost? Mission composts! Compost for lawns

3 What is Soil? Soil is 95 to 99% bits of rock combinations of sand, silt and clay

4 Organic Matter Makes up the other 1 to 5% of soil Organic matter is present only in the top 15 to 30 cm of the soil We have lost up to 50% of our organic matter worldwide No organic matter, no life

5 Bits of rock without organic matter is not soil

6 Why should you care about soil organic matter? Soil Organic Matter Improves Soil Physical Properties Increased granulation and aggregate stability Makes heavy soils easier to work Increases water infiltration rates Increases water holding capacity Decreases erosion

7 Increased soil organic matter increases water holding capacity of soil Soil water content, m 3 /m 3 soil Field capacity Wilting point Soil organic matter, % by weight From Brady and Weil The Nature and Properties of Soil. Prentice Hall

8 Addition of organic matter moves the soil texture towards ideal

9 Why should you care about soil organic matter? Soil Organic Matter Improves Soil Chemical Properties Increases Cation Exchange Capacity so the soil is better able to store and supply plant nutrients Increases ph buffering so the soil resists changes in ph Reduces Aluminum, Iron, and Manganese toxicity in acidic soil

10 Why should you care about soil organic matter? Soil Organic Matter Improves Soil Biological Properties Greater abundance, diversity and activity of soil microbes Increased nutrient cycling Increased root elongation and abundance Increased access to water and nutrients

11 How can we increase soil organic matter? Add compost

12 A finished compost Has a dark brown color Is crumbly, loose, and humus-like Has an earthy smell Contains no readily recognizable materials 2008/Compost Facility Operators Course/Operation

13 Compost is not just the backyard type It has a consistent quality It has no weed seeds It is free of pathogens It is safe But not all compost is the same!

14 Compost is not soil.! Assuming similar maturity, composts vary in ph, nutrient content and electrical conductivity (a measure of soluble nutrients in compost)

15 Electrical Conductivity Electrical conductivity is a measure of the concentration of soluble ions in a compost These soluble nutrients can include potassium, calcium and nitrogen Composts can range from 0.5 ds/m (mmhos/cm) up to > 12 ds/m. Plants cannot grow well in soil with electrical conductivity higher than 3 ds/m

16 Compost is not soil.! Some composts are nutrient rich and can burn grass under the right conditions other composts can grow fantastic potatoes.

17 ph can vary in composts Some composts have low ph (4-5) usually mature woodwaste based composts, or high ph (8 or higher) usually immature composts or some animal manure composts.

18 Compost provides increased disease resistance for plants Mechanisms for Disease Suppression 1. Competition soil with compost contains greater diversity and number of microorganisms potential pathogens have to compete 2. Specific suppression specific microorganisms in compost are antagonistic to potential disease causing organisms the more mature the compost, the more likely this is to happen. 3. Greater ability of the plant to resist disease

19 Compost as a Mulch for Gardens Transform Compost Systems Products Provides nutrients Decreases evaporative water loss Inhibits weed seed germination C/N ratio and maturity are important

20 Making compost safely Transform conducted an organics collection and composting pilot in 2006 No odor, no rodents, met Class A compost requirements District of Kent, BC

21 Making compost safely Transform has a contract to process greenwaste and foodwaste in partnership with the District of Mission Compost for: - Sale as a soil conditioner - Blending with soil to meet new soil standards District of Mission, BC

22 District of Mission, BC District of Mission Rot Pot Program Organic Waste Recycling

23 Composting at Mission Landfill

24 Reporting temperature

25 Cooking lunch in the compost pile

26 Enjoying lunch cooked in the compost pile

27 Potential pathogen kill results (first batch of compost) Sample # District of Mission Coliforms Total Fecal E. Coli 1 < 3 < 3 < 3 2 < 3 < 3 < 3 3 < 3 < 3 < 3 4 < 3 < 3 < 3 5 < 3 < 3 < 3 6 < 3 < 3 < 3 7 < 3 < 3 < 3 Numbers are in MPN/g (most probable number) All seven samples must be below 1000 MPN/g Compost meets Class A standards for metals

28 Compost characteristics Characteristics (dry wt) District of Mission Lawn Topdress Compost Moisture Content (%) ph Electrical conductivity (ds/m) % N % P 2 O % K Sodium as % of EC % Organic Matter Which characteristic is most important for marketing compost?

29 Santa takes Mission s compost back to North Pole for his garden

30 Compost on Grass Transform Compost Systems Products

31 We started applying composts to our lawn in Transform Compost Systems Products

32 It worked so well at getting rid of moss and thatch, that we tried it on the neighbor s lawn Transform Compost Systems Products

33 Transform Compost Systems Products Eliminated moss and thatch, and provided a lot of plant nutrients

34 Grass requires N, P, K, and many micronutrients as well. Nutrient Annual Removal (g per 2500 sq ft) Nitrogen 9009 Phosphorus 2567 Potassium 6933 Sulphur 1142 Calcium 851 Magnesium 519 Iron 48.8 Manganese 45.0 Sodium 41.5 Zinc Boron 0.79 Molybdenum 0.60 Copper 0.46 Transform Compost Systems Products

35 Compost is not magic: actively growing grass outcompetes weeds but, we still need to deal with some weeds Transform Compost Systems Products

36 We can still have beautiful lawns despite bans on cosmetic use of pesticides Mayor & Council are very pleased with the result. They have received many complements from the residents regarding the health and vigor of the new lawns. Theresa Baxter, Village of Harrison Hot Springs Transform Compost Systems Products

37 Summary: Compost on Lawns: A Beautiful Lawn, Naturally Compost characteristics: - Screened to < ¼ - Nutrient rich (high electrical conductivity) - high ph okay - ¼ application rate - March or April in BC Can be spread with a rake, or a compost applicator Transform Compost Systems Products

38 Compost on Lawns: Simpler Maintenance - no aeration required - no dethatching required - no additional fertilizer required Transform Compost Systems Products - no moss control required

39 Transform Compost Systems Products Conclusions Healthy soil means adding organic matter to supply nutrients and beneficial microorganisms, increase water holding capacity, decrease soil density,. As we increase the diversity of organisms, we can be creative in managing our soils and grass

40 Thank You!

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