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THE DELIGHTS OF COMPOSTING

THE DELIGHTS OF COMPOSTING. WHO AM I?. Freelance Compost Doctor - often introduced as “the Worm Lady”! Visiting schools, organisations and events (pretty much anyone) providing talks and training on composting Also Coordinator of South East Forum for Sustainability

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THE DELIGHTS OF COMPOSTING

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  1. THE DELIGHTS OF COMPOSTING

  2. WHO AM I? • Freelance Compost Doctor - often introduced as “the Worm Lady”! • Visiting schools, organisations and events (pretty much anyone) providing talks and training on composting • Also • Coordinator of South East Forum for Sustainability • Coordinator of Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth (volunteer)

  3. Why is composting so good • Closed loop system – • Grow the food Eat the food • Compost the food • It adds nutrients/beneficial organisms back to the soil • Scaleable system – can be done pretty much anywhere • Compost is not just a nutrient it’s a whole eco system

  4. A Myriad of Different Ways • Hot composting • Cold composting • In vessel (anaerobic composting) • Garden composting • Field scale composting • Composting indoors • Composting with worms

  5. I’m a Fan of • Wormeries small – indoor option (500grms/week) • Wormeries medium – outdoors small gardens/patios (1-2kgs/week) • Wormeries big – field/farm scale (about 1 tonne/week and growing)

  6. Benefits of Compost • Vermicompost is the king of compost it will provide compost: • Full of beneficial soil micro-organisms • With very high humus content • Containing slow-release natural fertilisers • With nutrients available in form that plants can readily use • That absorbs 2-3 times its own weight in water • Holds water well so less watering required

  7. More Benefits • Vermicompost will also • Help to bind together soil particles • Enhance disease resistance • Encourage healthy/strong root system • Produce strong healthy plants/crops • Improve crop yields • provide a liquid fertiliser as a by-product • And if you make it yourself • It’s free!

  8. A Universe in My Compost Bin

  9. Previous Picture courtesy of Jim Nardi – Life in the Soil: a guide for naturalists and gardeners • Micro • Countless bacteria (a), • Fungi such as the insect-eating Beauveria shown here (e), ray fungus, Mycorrhizal fungi • Nematodes • Protoza • Rotifers

  10. Credit: Amy Stewart

  11. Macro • Composting earth worms – Dendrodrilus rubidus, Eisenia fetida ***, Eisenia andrei, Eisenia hotensis, Eisenia veneta, Eudrilus eugeniae, Lumbricus rubellus • But also • Potworms [arrows in b point to small potworms, c shows larger potworms] • Springtails (d) • Beetles,f, and their larvae (g) along with several species of scarab (dung) beetles (i, j), the rove beetles (m, n) • mites (h), • Flies, Soldier (k) fruit flies and flies related to fruit flies (l), bathroom flies, fungus gnats, sciarid flies  Ants • Pseudoscorpions • Millepedes, Centipedes • Woodlice • Earwigs • Slugs • Snails • Spiders

  12. Mega • Moles • Mice • Rats?! • Slow worms • Grass snakes • Toads • Badgers • Foxes

  13. Why This Wonderful Web • Important food chains • Mutual benefit • Different organisms responsible for different things • Diversity = successful compost

  14. RESOURCES • Contact: • alison.walters@foe.co.uk • Websites: • www.magpietrust.org.uk/compost.html • www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1109661 • www.bhfoe.org • www.sefs.org.uk • www.villagegreenrecycling.com • Further reading • Composting with worms (George Pilkington - www.eco-logicboooks.com) • The Earth Moved (Amy Stewart - www.franceslincoln.com)

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