DE2537068A1 - PROCEDURE FOR COMPOSTING GARDEN RESIDUES AND SIMILAR ORGANIC MATERIAL, AND MEANS OF CARRYING OUT THE PROCEDURE - Google Patents

Description

and similar organic material, as well as means for carrying out the method

The invention relates to a method for composting garden waste or garden residues such as cut grass, Kitchen waste such as potato peels or other organic Material as well as a means of carrying out the procedure.

Such materials are referred to as "compost material" in the following description.

Composting is a process in which the compost material is converted by saprophytic bacteria into a material that is called "dung" or "fertilizer" for improvement the growth of plants can be used.

The traditional way to make compost is to make a pile of compost material outdoors and an additive on each layer of 23 to 30 cm add what lime and a source of easily accessible

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Contains nitrogen. The lime is added to maintain a high enough pH to keep the bacterial Ensure activity and the addition of nitrogen provides sure that the synthesis of fungal / bacterial protein and the build-up of bacteria by a shortage of nitrogen is not restricted. The traditional method is performed with the pile open or in a wire or Wood edging is held.

The main disadvantage of the traditional method is the loss of valuable plant nutrients through natural drainage from the heap or as a result of rain leaching. There are still a number of other disadvantages: it is unsightly, especially in small, modern gardens where the pile cannot be hidden somewhere; in hot weather flies infect the pile, the eggs are laid and eventually hatch into larvae that infest the compost; if the heap is badly set, the smell can be annoying; and after starting the heap is stuck and cannot be carried away.

Because the composting additives often do better at higher Working temperatures, attempts have already been made to put the compost material in a partially closed container imprison. However, this was unsuccessful as moisture is released during decomposition and becomes anaerobic Gave conditions under which the decomposition stops. The accumulation of moisture has the further result that the Compost becomes soaked, with putrefactive waste water occurring.

The object of the invention is to create a method for composting which does not have the disadvantages listed above.

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According to one embodiment, the method for composting according to the invention comprises locking up the compost material in a partially closed container along with a composting additive, which is a source of saprophytic Bacteria, a source of nutrients for the bacteria, a nitrogen source and an absorbent material. That Method may include placing a layer of compost material on the bottom of the container, then applying it over it alternating layers of additive and layers of compost material and finally applying a layer of the compost material, the layers of the additive being thinner than the layers of the compost material, and it may further comprise placing a layer or layers of paper or scrap paper in the container.

According to another embodiment of the method of the invention, the composting additive comprises a source of saprophytic bacteria, a source of nutrients for the bacteria, a nitrogen source and an absorbent Material.

The invention further comprises equipment for composting compost material which contains an additive as before and one made of plastic material Sack included.

The source of saprophytic bacteria and the source of nutrients for the bacteria serve to facilitate the composting process to accelerate, and since the process of decomposition is aerobic and requires oxygen, the container should not be complete be airtight. However, the compost material must be locked in a container, mainly to prevent the loss of Avoid liquid wastewater to ensure the retention of valuable plant nutrients. The usage of the container also serves to reduce heat losses to a minimum.

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- ζμ -

The source of saprophytic bacteria generally includes both a bacterial culture and an enzyme which can produce the desired one Facilitates compost-forming activity of the bacteria.

The source of nutrients for the bacteria is generally a carbohydrate material, preferably a starchy material such as grain flour, e.g. rye flour, wheat flour or corn flour. Coffee waste is another suitable source of nutrients. The nutrients facilitate the rapid growth of bacteria and therefore accelerate the breakdown of organic material.

The nitrogen source ensures that the synthesis of fungal / bacterial protein as a result of a shortage of readily available Nitrogen is not restricted. Examples of suitable nitrogen sources are ammonium sulfate, urea and urea formaldehyde. Preferably a nitrogen source is used slow release such as urea formaldehyde used.

The function of the absorbent material (and newsprint or waste paper, if used) is to absorb the liquid sewage so that it is ensured that the resulting compost is high in nutrient worth, and that it can be handled comfortably and crushed, and that it is not soggy, is incompletely decomposed material with a foul odor. The absorbent material can be, for example, ground, dried Seaweed, wood flour (sawdust), cork dust, peat, ground coconut shells, be ground tree bark or bone meal. Torn absorbent paper, such as newsprint, can also be used. Organic absorbent materials, as already mentioned, are preferred, but can also inorganic absorbent materials can be used. At-

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games for this are slate meal, kaolin, gypsum, lime, Fuller's earth, pumice stone, and certain types of clay such as Attapulgite clay. Mixtures of absorbent materials can also be used.

The additive may comprise one or more additional, optional ingredients as listed below:

An activator to further accelerate the growth of bacteria. This is generally an organic one Material, e.g. coffee residues or tea residues or dried animal manure.

An alkaline, solid material such as powdered lime, ground limestone, or dolomite limestone. This serves to Keeping the pH of the compost material at neutral or slightly alkaline values, thereby reducing the bacterial activity is favored. If the compost material contains a high proportion of cut grass, the material can remain neutral or sufficiently alkaline, so that no calcareous or similar alkaline Substance in the additive is required. In the case of other vegetable waste or residues, a larger There is a tendency towards acidity, and in such cases an alkaline substance such as lime is an ingredient in it Additive beneficial. Too much alkaline material is undesirable because it can have a tendency to Nitrogen source react with the formation of ammonia, which escapes and with it a certain loss of nitrogen occurs.

A phosphate, e.g. rock phosphate, basic slag or superphosphate, to act as supplementary nutrients for the bacteria to serve, which improves their growth rate and activity.

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Several substances that can be used as constituents of the additive can fulfill more than one function. For example, coffee residue can be both a source of nutrients for the bacteria and an activator serve, while lime can serve as both an absorbent and alkaline material, and Bone meal can serve as both an absorbent and a source of phosphate.

The proportions of the ingredients in the additive are not critical. Typical ranges of proportions by weight are as follows:

Saprophytic bacteria: 0.01-2 # each of the bacterial culture and the enzyme.

Nutrient source: five to ten times that

Amount of source for bacteria (culture plus enzyme).

Nitrogen source: urea 10-40 #;

Ammonium sulfate 20-80 #; Urea formaldehyde 20-80 #;

Activator: 5.0-50 #,

Alkaline material (e.g.

Lime) 5 ~ 5O #,

Phosphate: 0.5-5 #

Absorbent system: rest.

The amount of additive used is about 1 to 4 handfuls (14.2-142 g = 0.5-5 oz) per 28.3 liters (1 cubic foot) of compost material.

The invention can be carried out in various ways and some specific embodiments are illustrated below with reference to the following examples.

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example 1

An additive was produced which contained the following components:

Ingredient wt .- $

(i) Culture of Saprophytic Bacteria 1.0 (ii) enzyme 1.0

(iii) Coffee residue (nutrient source and

Activator; 10.0

(iv) rock phosphate 2.0

(ν) urea-formaldehyde (nitrogen source) 40.0 (Vi) cork flour (absorbent system) 46.0

100.0

Example 2

Three sheets of newspaper were torn and laid on the bottom of a black polyethylene litter bag a size of 40 cm 64 cm χ 99 cm (size 16 "χ 25" x 39 " 225 gauge). 43 g of the additive from Example 1 were sprinkled on top of the paper.

A 23 cm layer of fresh, cut grass was then placed on top of the torn paper and 43 g of the additive sprinkled on top of the grass. Two more layers of the cut grass debris with each a sprinkled layer of 43 g of the additive was further added. Two sheets of newspaper were torn and placed on the topmost layer of grass, with the top of the sack folded over and with held down on a brick.

The sack and several others made in the same way were placed in the open air and allowed to compost. The bags were filled at the beginning of May. Awake

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eight weeks in warm weather, the bags were at the beginning of the Opened the month of July and it was found that it was a chocolate-brown, crushable, not unpleasant-smelling Contained compost.

Example 3

Two sheets of newspaper were torn and placed on the bottom of a black polyethylene litter bag. and 43 g of the additive from Example 1 was sprinkled on the paper. A layer with a thickness of 23 cm of cut grass was added, and 43 g of the additive sprinkled on top. A sheet of newspaper was torn and placed on top of the grass. Two more rows of layers of grass, additive and newspaper were added at weekly intervals. The sack was then tied loosely and taken to a garden shed.

The sack was filled at the end of October. During the following month of March after composting for 144 days in cold or cool weather the sack was opened and found to be dark brown, crushable, not Contained unpleasant smelling compost.

To demonstrate the value of the compost in promoting plant growth, cabbage plants were placed in pots treated with the compost drawn. For comparison, cabbage plants were also grown in pots that had been treated with farm manure in untreated pots.

The compost and the farm manure (FYM) were put on the earth in one Spread out in height of 5 cm and plowed into the earth during September. Spring cabbage plants were in the pots in October planted and harvested during the following month of May.

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The mean weights of the cabbages from the various Plants were as follows:

Treated with compost Treated with FYM Untreated 1.23 kg 1.20 kg 0.7 kg

Example 4

Cut grass was placed on the ground in a pile about 120 cm × 120 cm × 90 cm, and it was 128 g of the additive from Example 1 was added to a layer of 23 cm each when building the pile. The heap became too Manufactured at the beginning of May (on the same day and using cut grass from the same source, as used in Example 2). After eight weeks of warm weather, the pile was opened at the beginning of July, it was found to contain a moist, dark brown, well-rotted compost.

Example 5

A mixture of garden waste (cut grass, weeds, etc.) and kitchen waste (potato peels, cabbage leaves, tea leaves, etc.) was placed on the floor in a pile about 120 cm by 120 cm by 90 cm, with 128 g of the additive of Example 1 was added to each 23 cm layer in building the pile.

The heap was allowed to compost for the same period of time as in Example 3, during which time a moist, dark brown, well-rotted compost was formed.

Example 6

Two black polyethylene bags were filled as in Example 2. The material in the top of one sack was made with

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a granular insecticide about 3 wt -.% 4-bromo-2,5-dichlorphenyldiinethylphosphorothionat containing as an active ingredient treated (trade name bromophos) for the destruction of flies, while the other bag was left untreated for comparison. The bags were examined in intervals and the number of flies was determined:

Number of flies without insecticide Day 0 with insecticide 3 0 0 20-30 3 0 10-20 12th 1 10-20 20th 0 30th 1

The analysis of the compost products produced in Examples 2, 3, 4 and 5 and a typical analysis of FYM with regard to their content of nitrogen (N), phosphate (as P ₂ O ₁ -) and potash (ale KpO) in wt .- ^ resulted in the following values:

Tabel

example N P ₂ O ₅ K ₂ O 2 4.5 1.16 4.32 3 3.24 0.91 3.50 4th 2.10 1.04- 2.05 5 2.04- 1.02 2.10 FYM 2.0 1.0 2.0

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These analytical values show that those in polyethylene bags (Examples 2 and 3) produced compost products with very much higher contents of nitrogen and potash than those in traditional Pile of produced compost products (Examples 4 · and 5) or Compost products made in IFXM showed.

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Claims (7)

Claims hJ method of composting compost material using a composting additive, which is a source of saprophytic bacteria, a source of nutrients for the bacteria and a source of nitrogen it contains characterized in that composting is carried out in a partially closed container and that the additive includes an absorbent material. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the absorbent material is organic in nature. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compost material consists entirely or mainly of cut grass residues consists, characterized in that the additive does not contain lime. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the container is a plastic sack and in that the method comprises arranging a Layer of compost material on the bottom of the bag, then applying alternate layers over it of the additive and layers of compost material and then applying a final layer of Compost material comprises, wherein the layers of the additive are thinner than the layers of the compost material, and that then the opening of the bag is partially closed. 609810/0701 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that that a layer or layers of newsprint or paper waste are introduced into the container. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the overlying layer material in the container is sprinkled or sprayed with an insecticide effective against flies. 7. Composting additive to be used in the Method according to one of the preceding claims is suitable and a source of saprophytic bacteria, a source of nutrients for the bacteria and a source of nitrogen, characterized in that that it further contains an absorbent material. 6 09810/0701