VG01049 Compost – Getting Started

This is the third in a series of five fact sheet developed for vegetable growers in 2003 – 2004.

These sheets will provide you with information about composting, compost products and how to best use them to suit your needs.

Getting Started :

To get the best out of compost, it needs to be used regularly as an integrated part of crop and soil management.

You need to be clear about what you want the compost to achieve and talk to suppliers about products and methods of using them that will most cost effectively meet your needs.

This factsheet includes a table to assist you match your required outcome with the suggested product type (in general terms) and method of application.

This exercise will go a long way in assisting your compost supplier match both your production goals and target benefits with the best product to achieve them.

Detailed advice on product specifications should be supplied by the compost producer.

Some suppliers will provide products at discounted rates to encourage commercial growers to try compost.


Authors

Kevin Wilkinson

Dean Harapas

Emily Tee

Bruce Tomkins

Robert Premier

VG01049 Compost Factsheet #3
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Acknowlegements:

Peter Franz, Department of Primary Industries (Victoria), Knoxfield, for providing statistical advice for the persistence of enteric bacteria on leafy vegetable trials.

Dr Graham Hepworth, from the Statistical Consulting Centre at The University of Melbourne, for experimental design assistance, analysing data and providing statistical advice with regards to the persistence of enteric bacteria in poultry litter trials.

Francha Horlock, Janet Tragenza (Department of Primary Industries (Victoria), Knoxfield) and Iphie Papapetrou (Box Hill Institute, Victoria) for providing technical advice and assistance.

Agnes Tan and Nela Subasinghe from The Microbiological Diagnostic Unit, Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Melbourne for microbial diagnostic advice and services.

Dr Barry Macauley from the Department of Microbiology at Latrobe University provided valuable assistance in the interpretation of the experiments examining the reduction and persistence of enteric bacteria during aging of poultry litter.

This work was funded by: Horticulture Australia Pty Ltd, Department of Primary Industries (Victoria) and the Australian Vegetable Growers through the AUSVEG levy with voluntary contributions from: VegFed (NZ), CL & AK Warlan, Lightowler Fowl Manure Pty Ltd, TD & EC Ould Pty Ltd


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