Compost

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Created: Wednesday, 19 February 2020 15:07

Compost

Kendal utilizes the services of Barnes Nursery, shown in the photographs, to compost the green waste placed in the bin near the Community Gardens. This is not your ordinary compost obtained by raking leaves into a pile and letting them decay. Barnes uses a careful process that virtually eliminates undesirable components particularly the invasive species we work hard to control. In their compost piles, the heat generated by oxygen-dependent chemical reactions causes unwanted seeds germinate. Then, as the temperature rises to at least 155 F for three days, these sprouts are killed and join in the mix. The final product is rich in organic material and nutrients that our trees need to thrive. We prepare planting sites by mixing compost with the poor-quality soils that are typical of the Kendal Campus. This helps remediate the deficiencies in our soils caused by their inherent poor quality and damage caused by heavy equipment during construction. Remediated soil is rich in desirable minerals and other nutrients and has a better porosity that allows oxygen to gain access to roots. Healthy soil means healthy trees. What's not to like about compost!

Click here for a composting fact sheet prepared by the US Composting Council.