DIY Composting
Instead of regurgitating how-to composting information, I've gathered lists of websites, information videos, resource documents, tools & more, here in one place.
Upcoming Classes
City of Plano - Compost Education Classes
For more information on the following classes, registration, and location:
The City of Plano's Composting Education page
WORM COMPOSTING 101:
09/16/08, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Learn to use specialized red worms to compost your food waste and use their waste as a fertile soil amendment. Learn to set up and maintain a worm bin, and to harvest and use the worm castings. More »
FAMILY WORM COMPOSTING:
09/20/08, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Start a family hobby! See Worm Composting description above. This class is designed to get the whole family involved. More »
COMPOSTING 101:
09/20/08, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Learn the basics of turning that garden debris into garden gold through composting. We cover what to put in, what to leave out, and how to mix, moisten and manage your way to successful soil enrichment. More »
YARDWISE SERIES
Learn a simple four-step program to help maintain a healthy yard with less cost, work and waste. Sign up for one or all of the workshops to learn how to improve your landscape. More »
- YARDWISE 1: HEALTHY SOILS AND PLANTS
09/04/08, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Learn how to improve soil fertility through composting, grasscycling, and mulching. - YARDWISE 2: GREEN LANDSCAPE DESIGN
09/11/08, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Learn about water-saving practices for the landscape, and how to incorporate design principles emphasizing the use of native and adapted plants. - YARDWISE 3: PLANTS, SHRUBS & TREES
09/18/08, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Choosing Texas friendly plants and trees well adapted to our area and weather conditions will make a big difference in the success of your landscape. - YARDWISE 4: FRIENDLY PEST CONTROL
09/25/08, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
No yard is without some type of pest problems. Learn how IPM (Integrated Pest Management) strategies can help you manage pests using the most environmentally friendly means.
Questions about composting?
After working as a master composter volunteer, I've heard a few questions come up over and over.
Ants in the pile!
One lady said she quit composting when ants got in more...0 points
What about a compost tumbler?
Compost bins come in several styles. A tumbler is more...0 points
What about using food scraps?
No meat or dairy. But fruit and vegetable wastes a more...0 points
I filled my bin about half-way with dirt, but nothing happened.
This is a real comment I received this weekend. F more...0 points
What about roadkill?
If you're out in the country and don't mind the sm more...0 points
Should I purchase and use an activator?
Nope! Reasons: 1.) I suspect a liquid activator is more...0 points
You need this book!
A must-have reference for building healthy soil
The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/08/2008)
Whether you're just started in the backyard or grew up composting on a farm, this reference book covers the basics to get set up and goes in-depth to improve the nutrient quality of your compost pile.
Caution: This book causes hands to get dirty!
Great Videos for Backyard Composting
Learning the basics
This lady is not polished, but has good information.
Organic Gardening: Tips, Tools & Supplies for Raising Organic Vegetables : How To Use Organic Compost
Runtime: 1:17
220 views
1 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : What Is Organic Garden Compost Composed Of?
Runtime: 0:48
601 views
2 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How is Organic Garden Compost Broken Down?
Runtime: 0:44
96 views
0 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Quickly Start an Organic Compost Pile
Runtime: 1:17
1692 views
2 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : Why Water is an Important Ingredient for Making Organic Garden Compost
Runtime: 1:12
1863 views
3 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Turn and Mix your Organic Garden Compost
Runtime: 2:31
181 views
0 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How Often to Aerate your Organic Garden Compost : Organic Composting Tips
Runtime: 0:53
1077 views
1 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : Organic Compost Bin Design Tips to Consider
Runtime: 1:18
8207 views
5 Comments:
Don't Call Me A *%!@$(#+¡ Head
Hair is more potent than manure when it comes to nitrogen. Visit your local beauty salon, collie, clothes dryer lint screen or hair brush for a free sample.
Great Guides to Making Compost
- How to Make Compost, a Composting Guide
- A complete guide to composting
- Compost Made Easy
- These 10 facts about composting will help you turn food and yard waste into garden gold.
- Vermicomposting, an Introduction
- Worm Composting Guide
Learn about how to vermicompost with a worm bin. - Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Vermicompost From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Compost Education Factsheets [pdf]
- Home composting factsheets available to download
- Farm-Scale Composting Resource List
- This resource list offers links to web-based educational materials on greenhouse topics, and a few companies that offer greenhouse or hydroponic supplies.
Vermiculture - The Greatness of Worm Poop
Using special red wriggler worms to compost food scraps
Worm castings make an excellent natural fertilizer. It's easy to setup a bin. You can even do this indoors and keep the bin under a sink or in a utility room.
Tools and Resources
"Out of dry leaves for a carbon source? Try shredded newspaper or cardboard."
Projects & Tools
- Building a simple compost sifter
- Sifting gives you a finer grade, finished compost. The larger pieces may be chopped or placed in a new pile to break down further.
- Buying a Wood Chipper or Shredder: How to Select the Right One
- Processing leaves and branches into smaller pieces makes for quicker compost.
- Indoor Worm Composting
- The City of Vancouver offers apartment residents a way to compost food scraps, worm composting. City Farmer demonstrates the process. Good photos!
- Making Compost in a Backyard Bin
- Compost made every day at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden. Good photos!
- Cool Tools for Hot Compost
- Wheelbarrow, water hoses, water sprayer, pitchfork, spades and shovels, hand tools, mixing tools, rakes, screen sifters are the recommendations here.
More Great Videos for Backyard Composting
More information to build your skills
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Add Carbon Matter to your Compost Pile : Organic Compost Carbon Matter
Runtime: 1:17
142 views
0 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : What Temperature your Organic Garden Compost Pile Must Reach and Why
Runtime: 1:02
649 views
0 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : Correct Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio when Making Organic Garden Compost at Home
Runtime: 1:08
706 views
2 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How Nitrogen Affects your Organic Garden Compost Pile
Runtime: 1:45
934 views
1 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : Importance of Carbon in Organic Garden Compost
Runtime: 0:47
412 views
1 Comments:
How to Compost : Learn Organic Garden Composting Online : How to Know when the Organic Compost in your Bin is Ready
Runtime: 0:53
10964 views
2 Comments:
More resources and organizations
- US Composting Council
- The USCC is a non-profit trade and professional organization promoting compost.
- Compost News
- Recycling and composting events
- TerraCycle Inc
- TerraCycle sells Worm Poop®, a worm compost tea for plants. This natural fertilizer is packaged in recycled plastic bottles.
- The Ecocapitalist
- TerraCycle's blog
- BioCycle, Advancing Composting, Organics Recycling & Renewable Energy
- BioCycle: The information source on composting and recycling wastes, In Business: Magazine for sustainable enterprises and communities
- Compost Science & Utilization
- Compost Science Complete scientific data on compost process control and end product quality
- In Business
- Magazine for creating sustainable enterprises and communities
- Biodegradable Products, Compostable Food Containers & Other Environmentally Renewable Items Offered From The Harvest Collection
- The Harvest Collection offers biodegradable products such as strong compostable food containers and durable compostable cups. Browse our selection of products, proudly comprised of annually renewable, environmentally friendly resources.
- Biodegradable Products Institute
- Products with the biodegradable product logo program are designed to compost quickly, completely and safely, without leaving any plastic residues
- Test Methods for the Examination of Composting and Compost
- TMECC provides detailed protocols for the composting industry to verify the physical, chemical, and biological condition of composting feedstocks, material in process and compost products at the point of sale.
- Solid Waste.com: Digital Marketplace for the waste processing industry
- Resource for professionals in the solid waste industry- Information on bioassay equipment, gasification, dewatering, odor control and more
- Composting | Wastes | US EPA
- Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants.
- How to Compost.org
- From beginners to experts this web site is designed to provide composting information and links to other people involved in all forms of composting. From home composting to compost tea, compost toilets, large scale composting, vermi and compost use. No matter what your interest is, you'll find somet
