Re: [compost_tea] Shredded Paper.

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2002 19:05:46 EST

Hi Bill -

Paper is cellulose for the most part, and depending on the quality of the
paper, there may be some materials that help the paper have a finish, make it
glossy, stick, etc. Those are the materials you need to ask questions about
- the glues, tackifiers, dyes, and inks. The paper itself is plant material,
and fairly recalcitrant, hard-to-break-down carbon-containing material.

Most inks used in this century are soy-based inks, but even as recently as
the 1980's, some inks were heavy-metal based. Don't use paper with ink that
you are not certain is safe around your plants, or in your compost bins.

Cardboard is less-refined paper, usually thicker, longer fiber, and several
layers, glued together with a material on which certain bacteria and fungi
grow quite well.

Addition of paper and cardboard usually help fungi, and often some very
beneficial fungi, grow. Whether you layer the cardboard down as sheets to
help block sunlight getting to weed seed, or you shred the paper and
cardboard to allow more rapid decomposition (if you have bacteria and fungi
in your soil or compost), fungi will eventually be the majority of the
organisms selected.

If you aren't careful about aeration, the fungi you grow might be Fusarium,
maybe Pythium, or other disease fungus. So, make sure you are getting good
earthworm or microarthropod numbers in the material to build air passageways
and maintain aeration. If you keep things well-aerated, if moisture isn't
too high, or too low, paper and cardboard can make great food resources for
beneficial fungi.

We find that addition of paper and cardboard to wormbins (not-too-wet-worm
bins), help very beneficial fungi grow quite well.

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
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Received on Sun Nov 03 2002 - 19:17:36 EST

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