Noted speaker details organic compost, production

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Many gardeners and producers develop compost piles, but some are better than others because of their consistency. --Staff photo by Taylor

Sept. 15, 2005 - Organic gardeners and producers were treated to several days of lectures by Dr. Elaine Ingham, president and director of research at Soil Foodweb Inc., during the Sept. 5-6 “Compost Technology Workshop,” hosted by the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.

Ingham was the featured lecturer at the workshop, presented at the Antique Rose Emporium just outside of San Antonio. She was selected for the event because of her unique background. After joining the faculty at Oregon State University in 1986, Ingham went on to open a service through the university called the “Soil Microbial Biomass Service,” in 1991, which analyzed soil samples from all over the world. By 1995, the number of samples reached around 8,000 and became so great that the amount of lab space required to process that number required the commercial portion of the service to become a commercial enterprise.

Ingham impressed upon the group the importance of repeating studies several times to assure the necessary information is correct. She added that “more information and samples equals more data to receive more money to do further studies.”

Ingham shared her data of good composting procedures. During the workshop’s first day, Ingram reviewed important soil organisms and correct food for individual plants; homeowner approach to proper composting; as well as “recipes” that produce good compost. 

The researcher also shared how to determine if a garden’s or field’s soil needs compost. Obviously, Ingham is adamant about having the soil tested before planting so growers will know what might be needed in the soil to promote the highest harvests.

In offering considerations for the building the soil, Ingham talked about chemical herbicides that not only kill the weeds in the area, but also affects the “good” plants and insects needed to promote organic gardening or farm fields. “If you use that (Round-Up), what have you done to your soil?” she asked the crowd.

An advocate of “no-till” for soil, Ingham said tillage just disturbs the fungi that are needed in the soil to provide good, organic plants. She noted that during the time immediately after WWI and WWII, many acres of land were “ruined” by too much plowing and tilling.

One of the most important issues concerning organic composting concerns turning and use of the compost. What many may not realize is that if the bottom layer of a compost pile is not turned in with the other compost, it can create the E-coli germ which can spread from there.

�More is not better,� Ingham explained, concerning how much compost to leave. She suggested using newspaper or cardboard on the bottom of individual compost heaps to remind the owner how far down the compost goes in the pile.

Another point made was that compost should never be placed right against tree bark. It can cause problems between the bark and the tree, she added.

Finally, Ingham noted it usually takes about six months of turning and adding to a compost pile to get “good” compost, and it only gets better … up to about two years.

The researcher is also a big advocate of using “compost tea” on plants, along with the compost. The compost tea can be used to help feed the plants or as a soil spray to “enrich” the soil. It can, also, be used, aerobically, to help stop fungal diseases of leaves, such as blackspot, powdery mildew or brown spots in lawns.