Composting Info Updates

Swedish soil scientist Dr Holger Kirchmann discusses the use of compost and other techniques for growing wine grapes. Read more here.
 

A man in Deep Gap, North Carolina is shocked. Shocked that his neighbors are disturbed by the rotting animal carcasses that he uses in his compost pile to generate the very best black gold you could ever want to make.
What disturbs the neighbors most is Carter’s use of animal carcasses in the operation. By Carter’s […]

If you’re looking to improve the quality of your compost by removing impurities to get a compost with a consistent texture, this compost screen is a good investment. Screen out large chunks of material and fill your wheelbarrow with high quality compost or topsoil. This is a great tool that easily fits on most wheelbarrows. […]

With this handy electric chipper shredder, you can transform woody material such as tree trimmings into high quality mulch. You can also use this tool to make material to add to your compost pile. An added benefit is that you won’t have to fuel up your chipper shredder. Simply plug it in and you’re good […]

Food Cycler compost bags are a great item for those folks who collect kitchen scraps for their compost pile or compost bin. These bags stand up on their own, but you can use them to line other containers as well. They will hold up to moisture and slime until ready to chuck in with the […]

Turning and aerating your compost bin or compost pile is essential in creating high quality compost. If you don’t have a compost tumbler, then this compost turning garden tool is a must. With the extended “wings,” you can really get deep into the compost pile, which means that you can easily mix the entire batch […]

Taking dead deer to the landfill is expensive in Montana, so the state is now composting them instead to save money and the environment at the same time.
Now, crews are taking dead deer to a small composting facility near Victor.
“It’s worked very well,” said Cora Helm with the department’s hazardous waste section. “We’ve successfully composted […]

Looking for a great tool that will make it easier for you to pick up garden and lawn waste? This all-purpose grass and leaf caddy is made of heady-duty waterproof polypropylene and comes with sturdy steel handles. Just set it on the ground and sweep in your yard debris. With just one scoop you can […]

A great tool for the gardener and chef is this salad chopper, which will allow you efficiently chop your home grown vegetables. And remember that the kitchen is a great source of composting material. Use your vegetable scraps and fruit peels in your compost instead of throwing them out.

Oregon State University offers these handy gardening calendars, which have tips on when to plant, when to mulch, and when to start a compost pile or add compost to your garden.  While they are specifically for the state of Oregon, you can still find some great info by checking out the site. 

May and June are good months to start planting your pumpkins for a fall harvest.  You can plant a little earlier if your local climate permits.  One thing that this organic pumpkin growing site recommends is the liberal use of compost in your soil before you plant.  Compost can help your pumpkins resist common diseases […]

Using a fine material on the floor of your pack barn is known as a compost barn. This is a great way that farmers can easily transform farm waste into compost. Compost barns are especially popular with dairy farmers.  Recommended materials are soybean straw and saw dust. Read more about Compost Barns here.

Flowers are the super stars of your garden, and are usually the biggest conversation pieces for your friends and neighbors.  However, many gardeners struggle to get flowers to grow full and lush, and resort to chemical fertilizers to get their flowers to grow.  These chemicals don’t do much to help your flowers’ immune system in […]

Want to transform up to 30% of you home’s waste into high quality compost? This tiny compost guide is a best selling handbook that packs more tips into 32 pages than you can imagine. This is a small self-published book that is a must for anyone interested in making their own high quality compost. It’s […]

An Arizona based company called Farmer’s Secret, Inc. has started selling a consumer version of a liquid compost product that they normally supply to farmers in large quantities of 5,000 gallons and up.
Great Big Plants offers one-quart bottles of compost - part of the company’s “user-friendly, no-mess” marketing campaign, Thomas said. The liquid compost is […]

Do you live in the big city or in a small apartment?  While an urban lifestyle may complicate gardening, it doesn’t make it impossible.  Things like containers and raised beds can be a great help for the urban gardener.  However, the same rules apply for urban gardeners as traditional gardeners.  And rule number one is:  […]

This garden sieve can help you clean your garden soil and compost to get rid of unwanted material. Passing your soil or compost through this sieve will improve soil texture and soil drainage. It is also easy to clean and will never rust. Buy it for $39.95 at Clean Air Gardening.

The Earth Machine Compost Bin gets a big thumbs up at this product review site.  Made of recycled black plastic, it is durable and will do a great job with your compost.  The review also has lots of great tips on compost and composting.  Compare more compost bins and prices at the Compost Guide Store. 

If you’re new to composting and you talk to a master gardener, they’ll sometimes tell you that you don’t actually need a compost bin, because a compost pile works just as well.
As far as actually making compost goes, that is 100 percent true. You can make compost very effectively with a compost pile.
However, there are […]

Municipal composting seems to be getting more attention and more funding these days. For example, the Leeds Organic Growers (Logs) in England was recently awarded a grant to start a new composting program. The project will help set up a curb side composting program in the Kirkstall and Weetwood areas. Read more about the project […]

Municipal composting is made attainable when communities gather their local resources and work together towards a common goal. Here’s a great example. International NGO Exnora and the community of Chennai, India have created a municipal worm composting project that is drawing a lot of international attention. The program shows how the citizens of a small […]

A recent article in the Contra Costa Times talks about how you can improve the looks of your compost bin so that it isn’t an eyesore. There are lots of great tips in the article. Of course, one of the best ways to compost without drawing attention to your compost pile is to use an […]

I just came upon this article from “Redlands Daily Facts” that talks about using mushroom growing medium, tea, and coffee in your compost pile.  As we’ve discussed before, coffee grounds get a big thumbs up!  So does mushroom growing medium.  However, the article cautions about the pesticides used for growing mushrooms.  So, the lesson is […]

Ok, so this has really nothing to do with gardening compost, but I thought it was kind of funny.  There’s a record label out there called “Compost Records” The have “forward thinking club tunes” among other styles of music.  Read more inf you’re curious….

If you’re getting ready for the growing season and looking forward to a batch of home grown tomatoes, you could really benefit from the addition of compost to your soil.  So, while the spring is quickly approaching, you should look into starting your compost bin today.  Learn how compost will help your tomatoes grow healthier and more […]

Your rain gutters can collect a large amount of leaf litter and other organic debris. This material can easily be composted, but cleaning the rain gutters of your home can be a truly thankless job. No one likes to haul out the ladder and scoop out the nasty goop that collects in the gutter. However, […]

While the location of new landfills can often be a NIMBY issue (Not in My Back Yard), landfills are a necessary part of daily life. We create garbage, so we need somewhere to put it. Ohio State Senator Tom Niehaus understands this issue all too well as he deals with landfill legislature each year as […]