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1 Since 1984, providing organic waste management services to municipal and corporate clients. Land application of biosolids, wastewater and water treatment residuals from municipal and industrial sources. Massachusetts Arborists Association Dinner Meeting 5:00 p.m. Ken's Steak House, Framingham, MA Operation of regional composting facility in Ipswich MA. Compost marketing services for municipal and private facilities. Geoff Kuter, Ph.D. Facilities Located in: New England, New York and New Jersey distributed into PA, MD and VA.! Composts Made From: Municipal Biosolids, Leaf and Yard Wastes, Food Wastes and Food Processing Residuals, and Manures Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Products added to soil to improve physical, chemical, and biological properties Include:! Compost! Manure! Peat! Coir! Wood ash! Wood fines Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

2 How its made! Its properties! How to use it Pu#ng organic ma-er in a pile and le#ng it decay is not compos5ng Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA A process for converting and recycling wastes that includes:! Temperatures favoring the growth of thermophilic microbes (35 to 60 C or 105 to 160 F).! Under aerobic (the presence of oxygen) conditions.! Controlled process. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

3 Temperatures adequate for sufficient time to kill pathogens and destroy weed seeds (55 C for 3 days).! Not too high as to slow microbial growth or generate fires. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Improve soil physical properties by adding Organic Matter! Increase water holding capacity! Improve physical structure (soil pore space)! Lower soil bulk density Reduce water use for irrigation Improve water infiltration into soil surface Reduce erosion Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Add nutrients and improve nutrient holding capacity! Increase Cation Exchange capacity! Provides nutrients in organic or slow release form Reduce use of fertilizer Improve nutrient availability Decrease loss of nutrients due to leaching Improve plant growth and survival Not all composts are the same! Moisture content/bulk density! Texture and particle size! Organic matter content! ph, soluble salts, and nutrients! C:N ratio Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

4 Leaf and Yard Compost! Biosolids Compost! Manure Compost! Food Waste Compost! Spent Mushroom Compost! Wood Ash! Paper fiber (SPF) Product characteristics depend upon:! Feedstocks: Biosolids vs. Food Wastes vs. Manures! Bulking Agents: Wood chips vs. Sawdust vs. Leaves! Type of processing: Screened vs. Unscreened! Age: Active vs. Aged Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA 01913! Organic Matter: Undecomposed residuals, active and dead microbes (Biomass) and the products of decomposition (Humic matter)! Non- Organic Fraction: ash, grit, sand, clay! Nutrients: macro (N- P- K) and micro- nutrients (e.g. Bo, Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn)! Organic matter measured as % Volatile Solids; Material that is oxidized when the compost is dried and burned. % Organic matter + % Ash = 100 %! Organic Carbon is % of the volatile solids that is in the form of Carbon (C). Organic Carbon is 54% of the Organic Matter Organic Carbon is used to calculate C:N ratio Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

5 Percentage to Raise OM Compost Inclusion Rate by 1% need 8% by volume 2% 15% 3% 22% 4% 27% 5% 32% 6% 37% For many simple landscape projects 20 to 25 % compost (by volume) added to the existing soil will provide multiple benefits and result in improved soils and plant growth. Adding 1 to 2 inches of compost and tilling into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil before planting or mixing one part compost to 3 to 4 parts of soil. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA 01913! Increase Cation Exchange! Plant Available Nutrients Increase! Level of Nutrients Depend on Type of Compost (e.g. Biosolids vs. Leaf)! At High Levels of SOM Addition of Compost May Result in Excessive Nutrients Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Compost % OM OM % Tot N Total N Available N (dw) dry lbs/cy dw lbs/cy lbs/cy Biosolids 70% % leaf/yard waste 35% % Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

6 Compost must be used in compliance with state regulations regarding Phosphorus fertilizers.! Soil must be tested to show need for P.! When using Composts and organic products follow Best Practices and guidance issued by UMass Cooperative Extension. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA 01913! Composts contain diverse communities of different microorganisms! Laboratory studies and controlled field trials demonstrate that the compost microbes can suppress various soil borne pathogens! There is little evidence that the differences in microbial populations will result in better plant growth! Composts will provide organic matter that can stimulate activity of existing soil microbes and can result in suppression of soil borne plant diseases! The benefits of using compost to improve soil, physical and biochemical, are significant enough to justify using compost Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

7 Popular press presents contradictory advice Research studies under controlled conditions and field trials can show variable results depending on soil conditions, type of plant, planting conditions and care, but overall indicate significant benefits. Field Trial Compost Used with Planting Soil, Project , I- 91/Route 3 Interchange, Wethersfield, CT, Report No. 116(42) , January, 1999, Connecticut Department of Transportation An inventory was conducted in May, 1998 it was noted that none of the plants planted with compost needed replacement (i.e. the mortality rate was zero percent), compared to a mortality rate of approximately 40% in the standard ConnDOT control plants. Another inspection conducted in September, 1998 confirmed that the survival rate for the compost amended plants was still 100%. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Gilman, E.F Effects of amendments, soil additives, and irrigation on tree survival and growth. Journal of Arboriculture 30: Yard waste compost and various commercial additives, live oak seedlings, measured both root and top growth over 2 years with various levels of irrigation. the results support the recommendation to forego adding amendments to an individual planting hole in good non- compacted soil. Wiseman et al.: Organic Amendment Effects in the Root Zone. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (6): Two composts and peat; bare root red maple, pin oak and chestnut oak, 33 months, soil properties and root growth. Results show composts had positive impact on root growth with red maple but not oak. Because soils in disturbed urban environments often lack suitable properties for sustainable tree development, amending impoverished soils with composts may hold promise for restoring soil function and enhancing urban canopy development. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

8 Parameters Range ph Organic Matter 5 % (3.0 to 8.0 %) Moisture Content 25 % 40 % Soluble Salts < 2.5 mmhos (ds) Stone and Debris < 1% (by weight) Texture Sandy- Loam Textural Class % of Total Weight Average % Sand ( mm) Silt ( mm) Clay (less than mm) Less than 15% gravel (>2mm dia.) Fine particles (clay and silt) determine drainage Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Cogger, C., R. Hummel, J. Hart, and A. Bary Soil and red osier dogwood response to incorporated and surface- applied compost. Hortscience 43: Yard waste compost red osier dogwood followed for five years compared soil incorporation and surface mulch applications The data show significant beneficial effects of surface application and incorporation of compost lasting more than 5 years after application and likely to persist longer. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA

9 Effects of Organic Mulches and Fertilization on Soil Microbial Activity, Nutrient Availability, and Growth of River Birch Daniel A. Herms, John E. Lloyd, and Benjamin R. Stinner, state.edu/hermslab/images/ Book_Herms_2002_Intl_Symp_Compost_Utilization.pdf Transplanted river birch two year study comparing yard waste compost and wood pallets applied as mulch, measured plant growth and soil properties Our results demonstrate the mulching with composted yard waste increases organic matter, microbial biomass, nutrient availability, and plant growth. Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA Inc. 100 Main St. Amesbury MA 01913! Quality composts can be used in a variety of applications as part of sustainable landscaping.! Compost amendments improve soil physical properties and provide nutrients.! Studies show benefits to both growth and survival when soil conditions are lacking.! Compost when used as a mulch also provides long term benefits. 9