Registration is open for the 2023 UConn Master Composter Program! Classes consist of two Saturday in-person sessions, September 16 and 30, and two Thursday night virtual ones, September 21 and 28. There are also two field trips scheduled for October. Participants will learn about composting and share their knowledge with others in a variety of venues. UConn Master Composters make a difference! Learn more and register at https://homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/master-composter/.
composting
Enroll in the Master Composter Program
Enroll Now in the UConn 2018 Master Composter Program
Almost 25% of household waste can be recycled through composting. The purpose of the UConn Master Composter program is to educate and train residents about the basics of small scale composting and in exchange for the training, volunteers will pass on their knowledge to others through outreach activitiessuch as talks, demonstrations, tabling at events, providing promotional activities, working with schools or community gardens etc. Master Composter classes will be held at the Tolland Agricultural Center in Vernon. There will be 4-week night lectures (October 16, 18, 23 & 25), Worm Day (Oct 20) and 2 Saturday field trips with only one being mandatory. The cost of the program is $100. The Master Composter brochure with registration information is available at www.ladybug.uconn.eduor www.soiltest.uconn.eduor call (860) 486-4274 for more information.
WORM DAY
Saturday, October 20, 2018 at the Tolland County Agricultural Center from 10 am to 2 pm.
Want to learn more about invasive earthworms in Connecticut? Ever thought about making a worm bin to recycle kitchen scraps into rich vermicompost? Join us for Worm Day! It is free and open to the public. Following presentations on beneficial and invasive earthworms, and how to make and care for a worm bin, folks are invited to make their own worm bins. Attendees supply the materials and we will supply the worms. A $5 donation is suggested to cover the cost of the worms. Go to www.ladybug.uconn.eduor www.soiltest.uconn.edufor more information. Please RSVP as we need to know how many worms to bring!
Become a Master Composter
Become a UConn Master Composter! The purpose of the Master Composter Program is to provide local compost enthusiasts with the tools and information necessary to educate and teach interested community members about composting and reducing the amount of solid waste sent to the state’s incinerators and landfills. Participants would attend classroom sessions at the Fairfield County Extension Center in Bethel, CT. Two Saturday field trips will also be scheduled, with one being mandatory Classes begin Thursday, October 6th and will run for 4 consecutive Thursdays, plus on Worm Day which is Saturday October 21st .
A Master Composter Certificate is awarded to those who have attended all program sessions, demonstrated a solid understanding of composting principles and practices, and engaged in a minimum of two outreach activities. Program fee is $100 payable to University of Connecticut. Enrollment will be limited to 24 participants. Visitwww.ladybug.uconn.edu for more information or call (860) 486-4274.
The Basics of Composting
By Dawn Pettinelli – Extension Instructor Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
Did you know that almost 25 percent of a typical household’s waste can be recycled right in the backyard? Recycling reduces the amount of solid waste being trucked and dumped into landfills, and the end product of this process, compost, is beneficial to the soil. Compost is the dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling by-product of decomposed plant and/or animal materials. Soil microorganisms transform these organic materials into their original elemental components to be reused by successive generations of plants and other life forms.
Recycle Your Waste & Improve Your Soil
Here’s the basics..what to compost, what not to compost, how to turn the compost, check temperature, and when it’s ready to use.
- What can you compost?
- Materials include leaves, grass clippings, fruit and vegetable wastes, spent garden plants, coffee grounds, eggshells, cardboard and livestock manure.
- Avoid adding meat products, fats, dog or cat droppings, and items that could attract pests, decompose slowly, or contain harmful organisms.
- What should you make your compost in?
Fancy bins, drums, and turning units are available but not essential. Compost piles do not need to be contained but piles look neater and animals are kept out. Build them on any flat site that allows for a 4 cubic foot pile. Cinder blocks, pallets, or fencing can be used to enclose the pile. - Where should you locate your compost pile?
Choose a partially shaded site, close to a source of water and not too far from the house. - Recipe for success
Choose a compost recipe that uses the materials you have. For a fast acting, hot compost it is best to add all the ingredients at once, building a pile 3 to 4 feet high and wide. Vary the materials used and chop them so there is more surface area exposed. Add water to make piles slightly moist. Adding organic materials in layers gives a feel for the proportions used. A shovelful of soil or finished compost is added to inoculate the pile with microorganisms. Avoid adding limestone or wood ashes. - What is the carbon (c) to nitrogen (n) ratio and why is it important?
Soil microbes need carbon from brown, woody materials for energy, and nitrogen from green, vegetative matter for food. The amount of carbon in a compost pile relative to the amount of nitrogen is the carbon to nitrogen (c:n) ratio. Decomposition occurs most rapidly when the c:n ratio is about 25:1. This is achieved by using one-third green to two-thirds brown materials. - When should compost piles be turned?
Turn compost piles at least once a month. If making a hot compost pile, then it should heat up to 140°F in a few days and should be turned each time the pile temperature decreases to about 100°F. - When is the compost ready?
Depending on the organic materials used and pile maintenance, compost is ready to use in as little as one month or up to a year. Compost is finished when the original materials are no longer recognizable and it is earthy smelling, dark, and crumbly. - What can you do with your compost?
Compost can be incorporated into the soil before planting, used to topdress lawns and gardens, or added to homemade potting mixes. Keep in mind that the nutrient content of compost varies with the ingredients. Periodic soil testing will monitor the soil’s nutrient levels.