Heads up! I just found this Google discussion group that deals with gardening issues. They have an extensive discussion going on about composting techniques with lots of great tips. In addition the Compost Guide, this is a great place to go to share info with other gardening enthusiasts and ask questions about composting and many […]
If you are one of the thousands of Americans who is required by their local government to place their yard refuse in special paper bags, the Yard Genie is for you. The Yard Genie holds these bags upright for easy use. Check out the Yard Genie at the Compost Guide Store.
In Contra Costa California, now you can compost without even doing it yourself!
They are now picking up the materials from the curb and composting it for you, in a test program.
If the service is popular, it could be extended to other communities as well.
“The challenge for us is showing that you can avoid or minimize […]
An Indiana company is working with Brown County, Wisconsin, to create a commercial composting system that is capable of handling large amounts of cow manure. Dealing with cow manure is a big issue for dairy farmers and meat packing plants because of the large amounts generated.
“As you increase urban development and you increase the cow […]
An article the UK Guardian writes about how San Francisco is working on a plan to collect dog poop and turn it into energy to power the city.
Under the pilot plan, announced this week, Sunset Scavenger will place biodegradable bags and what are tastefully called dog-waste carts in a popular San Francisco dog park. The […]
This unusual composter from Blue Planet Smart looks beautiful in your yard and works like a charm. Spin it to mix the compost. You’ll also be rewarded with a rich compost tea, which is a byproduct of the composting process. Compost tea works like an organic fertilizer and will make your plants very happy! The […]
A Seattle newspaper reader writes to the gardening advice columnist about his experience with rats and composting.
I would love to say that if a home gardener puts only the appropriate items in the compost heap, there will never be a rat issue. I don’t think that is the case, especially if the rats are already […]
Some Ohio residents are unhappy about new landfill construction in their area, but they haven’t had much luck preventing it.
The state senator writing the article mentions that people should start composting and recycling more to prevent garbage from going into the landfill in the first place.
Muncipal composting is something that isn’t mentioned, but should be! If […]
Trinchero Family Estates is one of the 2005 winners of the the California Integrated Waste Management Board’s WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Program) awards. The WRAP award recognizes California-based businesses that have made an effort to reduce their waste. Trinchero Family Estates is a Napa Valley winery. They have an extensive composting program and also make […]
Learn how to do some basic composting with help from the BBC.
It’s a quick, one page guide, but it covers the basics about what you can compost and which materials you shouldn’t, and what to do with it all.
Don’t forget to buy a composter.
Do you know your soil pH? You should! Having the correct soil pH can make the difference between thriving flowers and veggies or struggling ones. One of the best ways to monitor your pH is with an electronic soil tester. This handy tool allows you to gauge not only your pH, but also other important […]
The How Stuff Works site has an interesting guide to the composting process, and what happens when yard and food scraps break down into compost.
The compost pile actually has a complex organization of living organisms — a foodweb. Bacteria and fungi primarily break down the organic matter in the trash. Single-celled organisms (protozoa), small worms (nematodes), […]
When you’re collecting scraps from your kitchen for your compost, try out these biodegradable biobags, made from corn. They breathe to allow moisture to escape, which also reduces odors. These bags contain corn from countries that don’t allow GMOs, so they’re guaranteed GMO free! They will fully decompose in 2-3 weeks. This is a fantastic […]
A Washington Post article about bird flu brings up the gruesome subject of what you do with all of those bird carcasses if you have to slaughter a flock if bird flu is detected.
After trying to burn the bodies (too expensive), burying them (an environmental hazard) and trucking them to rendering plants (risking further spread […]
A Washington Post article talks about using a compost bin to make compost.
Just as there are many approaches to compost making, there are many types of compost container. If there is one rule about composting, it is that some sort of enclosure or bin is better than a loose pile: The bin will hold more […]
If you’ve got a compost pile or a compost bin, you may want to consider this handy collapsible debris container, which makes collecting garden waste very easy. It’s made from durable PVC fabric with a steel coil that holds the container upright. Simply line it with a plastic bag and you’re good to go! The […]
A short article in the Columbian newspaper in Clark County, Washington, writes about how if you just throw all your yard debris in a pile somewhere and never touch it again, it will eventually break down into compost.
I think this is a good point. A lot of people get too overly concerned about adding compost […]
The commercial watchdog group Gardening Which? recently performed a study on commercially available composts. The results of the study were surprising. It was found that many organic composts available on the market are of very poor quality. You can read the full article here. We feel that the remedy to this problem is to start […]
This Compost Tumbler and Compost Tea Maker is a wonderful product that greatly simplifies composting and also provides you with a high quality compost tea. It has an attractive design that won’t take up too much space. All you need to do is add organic kitchen scraps and garden waste and spin the drum. Your […]
Texas Master Gardener Pat Kriener has the cure for those who are bored with the typical gardening experience: Composting! In this article, Pat praises composting as a way to spice up your life, help your garden, and save money in the process! The article also has some great tips on what to compost and how […]
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell hopes that protecting the environment will actually turn a profit for businesses and organizations in his state. The Compost Infrastructure Development Grant Program is in innovative way to help businesses create organic compost with the waste generated from producing their products. The grants will help businesses that have high volumes […]
Soil Builder’s Inc., a company that makes compost, worm castings and “Mighty Microbe Mulch,” recently received praise from the Columbian Newspaper for their efforts to transform horse manure, wood shavings, and leftover hay into high quality compost. For now, they offer their product wholesale, but plan on expanding their sales for smaller markets soon.
Sevier County, in the heart of Tennessee’s Smokey Mountains, is a strange place to find the number one municipal compost plant in the United States. You’d think that someplace like California would host this kind of super-efficient technology. However, in terms of municipal solid waste composting, Sevier County’s compost plant was recently ranked as number […]
Let’s face it. If you’ve done much composting at all, you are probably always wondering to yourself, “So how it it going down there in the compost pile?”
How do you find out for sure? Try a compost thermometer. This cool little device has a point that is about 30 inches long or so. You push […]
Rhonda Feree, a Master Gardener from Illinois, recently sung the praises of using worms to compost, indoors! If you’re a little squeamish about letting theses slimy critters into your home, not to fear. Her article talks about why there is really no nasty smell involved with indoor worm composting, and that there is no risk […]
As with Barbados, recognizing the limited space they have to store waste, the island nation of Scotland has been pushing an ambitious recycling and composting program to help reduce solid waste. This article from Edie News details their effort.
The goal was to start recycling 25% of municipal waste by 2006. While some communities in Scotland […]
Using a simple compost pile can work for some people, if it is well managed. But if your pile starts to get large or you let it get off balance and it starts to smell, you can get complaints from your neighbors, or even from the city.
That’s why I like to use a compost tumbler. […]
The Shreveport Times writes this interesting article about the benefits of compost, and how it can be as effective as any fertilizer.
What are the secrets of the lush rain forest and the pristine prairie?
Their growth is natural. They are fertilized by what falls around them.
The best kind of fertilizer is the organic kind, […]
Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program has begun to offer classes on ecologically sound gardening, and is including classes on worm composting, or vermiculture. Read the full article here. Red wiggler worms are a great ally to the home composter. The addition of worms to your compost can really make a difference in compost quality. A quality […]
The Deputy Manager of Operations at the Sanitation Service Authority of Barbados, Michael Nicholls, plans to cut the solid waste production of this island in half. How? By encouraging residents to practice composting in their homes. Barbados is known as the “Little England” of the Caribbean.
It seems like they’ve got a good start, as the […]
A Dallas Morning News column by organic gardening expert Howard Garrett discusses the pitfalls of composting in a big pile, and how you might end up in trouble with the city.
