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CLOVER ORGANIC PVT. LTD.

COMPOSTING BASICS

1. The cycle of growth and decay: Composting carries out part of the earth's
biological cycle of growth and decay. Plants grow by capturing the sun's energy
along with carbon dioxide from the air and nutrients and water from the soil. When
plants (and the animals that eat them) die, they become raw materials for the
composting or decay process. Microorganisms, fungi, insects, worms, mites, and
other creatures convert the carbon from dead plants into energy for their own
growth, releasing carbon dioxide into the air. Similarly, they recycle the nutrients
from the decaying plants into their own bodies and eventually back into the soil.
Other plants and microorganisms use the carbon and nutrients released by the
composting process, and the cycle begins again. The material that remains from the
decay process is similar to soil organic matter. It holds water and nutrients in the
soil, and makes the soil more porous and easier to dig.
2. Fast or hot composting: We can manipulate the decay process to make it proceed
quickly. We do this by balancing food, water, and air in the compost pile to favor
the growth of thermophilic (high-temperature) microorganisms. One byproduct of
microbial activity is heat. When conditions are favorable for high-temperature
microorganisms, compost piles heat rapidly to 120'F to 150 F. This temperature
range kills most weed seeds and pathogens (disease organisms), but does not kill
mycorrhizae (beneficial fungi that help plant roots absorb nutrients). Once the hot
phase is complete, lower-temperature microorganisms, worms, insects, and other
invertebrates complete the decay process.
3. Slow composting: If we do not maintain ideal conditions for hot composting,
microorganisms will still break down the wastes. Decay will be slower, cooler, and
less effective at killing weed seeds and pathogens.
4. Managing the decay process: You can affect the speed of the composting process
and the quality of the compost product by managing the factors described below.

a. Food (Raw materials): For fast composting, the initial mix must have the
proper moisture and air content, and organic materials that provide a rich food
(energy) source for bacteria. A list follows of some materials commonly used
in making compost. They are separated into "energy" materials, "bulking
agents," and "balanced" materials.
b. Energy materials: provide the nitrogen and high-energy carbon compounds
needed for fast microbial growth. If piled without bulking agent, these
materials usually are too wet and dense to allow much air into the compost
pile. When you open the pile, it will have a foul, "rotten egg" smells.
c. Bulking agents: are dry, porous materials that help aerate the compost pile.
They are too low in moisture and nutrients to decay quickly on their own.
d. Balanced raw materials: Some raw materials contain a balance of energy and
bulking agent properties. These materials will compost readily without being
blended with other ingredients. Examples include horse manure mixed with
bedding, spoiled alfalfa hay, and deciduous leaves. These materials are handy
for ensuring the success of hot compost piles.

Mixing bulking agents with energy sources provides the right balance of moisture,
air and nutrients for rapid composting. A mixture of one part energy source
with two parts bulking agent (by volume) usually gives a reasonable mix for
rapid composting.

Compost Raw Materials Table

Bulking Agents Energy Materials Balanced Raw Materials

• Low Moisture • High Moisture • Low to Medium Moisture
• High Porosity • Low Porosity • Medium Porosity
• Low Nitrogen • High Nitrogen • Medium Nitrogen

• Wood Chips • Grass Clippings • Ground and Tree Shrub
• Sawdust • Animal or Chicken Trimmings
• Grass Hay dung. • Animal Bedding.
• Wheat or Paddy • Fruit and Vegetable • Broad Leaves.
Straw. Waste. • Legume Hay.
• Corn Stalks. • Garden Trimmings.
• Sugar cane leaves.
• Shredded tyres or
wooden planks or
broken pipes.

5. Particle size: Grinding, cutting, smashing, or chopping raw materials reduces
particle size. Small particles have more surface area for microbial activity and
are easier to mix. Hot composting requires a relatively uniform particle size of
1/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter. Woody branches that have not been ground often
make it difficult to turn a pile. They also decompose very slowly. We suggest
grinding or chipping woody branches, or piling them separately.
6. Mixing: There are many ways to make compost. One way could be to make
layers. Another way to do large scale composting is to simply mix all the
material together. If all the materials are on hand, mix them thoroughly
throughout the pile. If materials accumulate over time, add new materials to
the center of the pile. This practice will help aerate the center of the pile,
where anaerobic conditions are likely to occur.
7. Pile size: The pile must be big enough to hold heat. A hot pile decays much
faster than a cold pile. Small piles are usually colder, because they have small
cores that hold less heat. Small piles also dry out faster. A pile of about one
cubic yard is big enough for year-round composting, even in cold-winter
areas.
8. Moisture: All materials in the pile must be moist but not soaking wet. The
mixed material should feel moist, but you should not be able to squeeze water
out of it with your hands. Approximately 60-70% initial moisture is good. At
dry times of the year, you may need to add water. In rainy winter locations, a
pile may not heat up unless you cover it to keep out rainwater. Check moisture
when you turn the pile.
9. Aeration: The microorganisms responsible for fast decomposition need
oxygen. In the pile, oxygen is consumed by microbes. The pile needs to be

porous to pull outside air into the pile. Use enough bulking agent to create a
porous pile. As the pile decomposes, it settles, reducing aeration. Turning the
pile or adding bulking agent improves aeration.
10.Microorganisms: NatureVel – AG for agriculture and NatureVel – SW for
Industrial composting are good products that act like catalysts to rapidly
decompose organic matter into compost.
11.Nutrients: Just like people, microorganisms need nutrients (such as nitrogen,
phosphorus, sulfur) to grow and reproduce. These nutrients occur in the raw
materials used in the compost mix. Additional fertilizer from any source
(organic or inorganic) usually is not needed. Nitrogen fertilizer may be
beneficial for mixes consisting mainly of bulking agents. The best way to add
fertilizer is to dissolve it in water and wet the pile with a dilute fertilizer
solution. Compost additives such as blood meal and bone meal are simply
organic fertilizers; they do not contribute anything magic to the compost pile.

HOW TO MAKE COMPOST:
Heap method: (For decentralized composting)

1. Clear 4’ x 8’ area and spray with diluted (1:50) NatureVel –AG.
2. Spread a 1’ thick layer of Bulking agent (see table) across the area and spray
diluted NatureVel –AG (pure or multiplied) in the ratio of about 2 liters per sq
meter. Ensure every part of the waste is rinsed with the solution. Lower this
ratio depending upon the initial moisture of the waste. Moisture should not
exceed 60-70% at the time of heap formation. Squeeze a handful of the mixed
material to check its moisture level. If you can barely squeeze out a drop of
water, the moisture level is ideal. If the pile is too dry, add water, and check
the moisture again. If it is too wet, mix in some drier material.
3. No need to spray the same if bulking agents in the form of pipes, tyres etc are
being used.
4. Spread 2”-3” thick layer of Energy material (see table).
5. Spray NatureVel – AG as explained above on this layer.
6. Repeat this process of spreading alternatively spreading plant and animal
waste and each time spray NatureVel – AG.
7. The height of the heap should not be more than 4’.
8. Within 2-3 days, there should be heat generation within the heap. If not, then
either there is too much or too little moisture or aeration is not taking place
properly.
9. Turn the heap upside down after about 20 days for better aeration if heat
generation is not good enough. Add more water if necessary.
10. Compost is ready within 30-40 days.
11. Instead of the above layer method, you could also simply mix 2 parts bulking
material and 1 part energy material. Rinse them with diluted NatureVel – AG
solution.
12. Curing Phase: After initial mixing, a regularly turned pile usually stays hot
(120'F to 150'F) for several weeks to a month. The pile will shrink to about
half its original volume during the hot phase. The pile then needs to sit another
for 4 to 8 weeks to cure. Temperatures during curing are 80'F to 110'F. The
compost is ready to use when at least 8 weeks have passed since initial

mixing, the pile no longer heats when turned, and the material looks dark and
crumbly. Curing affects the availability of nitrogen and the microbial activity
of the compost. Uncured compost may harm some plants. This is most likely
when compost is used in potting soil or to start seeds. Curing is less critical
when small amounts of compost are worked into soil.

Windrow Method: (For centralized composting)

1. Windrows are made with the Press-Mud or any other organic waste in size of
3 meters wide and 1.5 meters in height and turned with a homogeneous
compost turning machine.
2. It would be best to add bulking agent in 1:1 ratio in the windrows to allow
passage of air to pass through. The addition of bulking agents would reduce
the EC% and the need for continuous turning.
3. Make these windrows perpendicular to the wind direction to get maximum air
coming inside the windrows.
4. The initial moisture is brought down to 50 to 52 %. This can be done by
turning the windrow for five to seven days depending upon the initial moisture
of the waste.
5. Dilute about 5 liters of multiplied or pure NatureVel –SW per tone of waste
with water or spent wash and spray over the windrows.
6. Turning of the windrow is needed to initially homogenously mix diluted
NatureVel –SW with the waste.
7. However, in order to get rid of spent wash, continuous addition is carried out
everyday in such a way that total moisture does not exceed 60%
8. It is prudent to note the temperature in different locations on a daily basis. It
should be between 60o to 70 o C. This will kill pathogen in the waste. This
temperature is indication that the thermophilic bacteria are working and are
breaking down the complex molecules to simple ones.
9. After a few days the temperature will start to decline. As the temperature start
to drop and waste turns to blackish brown sweet smelling compost, then stop
the spraying of spent-wash and leave the windrow for curing.
10. Bagasse based boiler fly ash can be added in the compost @ 10% as it adds
organic carbon, silica, N,P,K, Ca, Mg, & S, trace elements to the compost.
11. Leave for curing as discussed above.

Questions and Answers
• If the pile is dry It needs more moisture.

• If the pile is too wet Add more bulking agent. Cover the pile or build a larger
pile during the rainy season. Ensure there is a slope to
take away excess water.

• If the pile has a foul It needs more air and less water. Try turning the pile
smell more often or adding more bulking agent.

• If the pile is too small It will not hold the heat.

• If it is cold outside Try building a larger pile to hold the heat.

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Composting basics

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