Saturday, January 9th, 2010
8am-10am
San Diego Zoo Otto Entrance
(one block south of main entrance)
Learn how to create rich garden soil, save water, and reduce trash at the landfill by recycling your kitchen scraps and garden debris at this FREE workshop.
Workshop is taught by trained Master Composters from the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and [...]
Posts Tagged ‘compost bins’
Start the new year composting!
Posted in General, tagged Master Composters, compost, Solana Center, vermicomposting, recycling, san diego, free workshops, worms, San Diego Zoo, gardening, Composting, sustainability, food scraps, compost bins on December 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Rotline Question of the Week: If it is cold outside, will my compost bin still heat up?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, compost, compost bins, Composting, decomposition, greens, Heat, hot composting, mesophiles, microorganisms, nitrogen, psychrophiles, Temperature, thermophiles on November 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It is a common misconception that a compost pile heats up because of the sun. Sure, if it is hot outside, the pile will be warmer than if it is cold outside, but the sun is not what causes a compost pile to hit the triple digits.
The microorganisms residing inside of the compost pile are [...]
“Rotline Question” of the Week: Composting Pumpkins?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, compost bins, Composting, greens, home composting, nitrogen, pumpkin, pumpkin composting, vermicomposting, worm bins on October 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It is pumpkin season, but now that you don’t need your carefully carved pumpkin any more, don’t throw it away! Pumpkin is a great addition to both your compost and worm bin!
To add pumpkin to either bin, it is important that it is broken down into smaller pieces. Chop, cut, or saw the pumpkin into [...]
Rotline Question of the Week: Can you have too many greens in your compost pile?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", "Rotline" Question of the Week, browns, carbon, carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost, compost bins, Composting, food scraps, greens, Heat, nitrogen, odor, Temperature on September 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Sometimes, composters find themselves lacking in browns (carbon rich materials like straw, mulch, shredded paper, etc.) and having a surplus of greens (nitrogen rich materials like kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, freshly cut grass, etc.). But is it bad to have too many greens? What happens if you have too many greens in your compost bin?
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“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need to shred or grind my materials to compost them?
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged "Rotline", augers, blender, chippers, clippings, compost bins, Composting, decomposition, grinding, plant trimmings, shredders, shredding, soil, soil amendments, Solana Center, speeding up the process, vermicompost, worm bins, worms on August 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Shredding and grinding materials speeds up the process of composting. Smaller pieces will break down faster in your pile because it increases the surface area. This makes the material easier for bacteria to break down the material. You do not have to shred or grind your materials. The process will just take longer.
If you would [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Is hay or straw best for my compost?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged aeration, browns, carbon, compost, compost bins, Composting, greens, hay, Heat, Master Composters, nitrogen, soil amendments, straw, Temperature, weeds on August 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Hay is considered a nitrogen source, or a green, and can be added to your compost bin. Because hay often has weed seeds in it, make sure that your bin is reaching a hot temperature, 100 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are passively composting and not achieving high temperatures, you can bag the hay [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Do I need a thermometer to compost?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged "Rotline", carbon to nitrogen ratio, compost bins, compost piles, compost thermometers, Composting, diseased plants, Heat, microbes, moisture, pile size, Solana Center, Temperature, thermophilic bacteria on June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
You can definitely compost without a thermometer, but thermometers do make composting a bit easier. Thermometers can help you know when to turn your pile, when to add more material, when to add water, and when your compost is finished. Many composters also enjoy the satisfaction of seeing just how hot their pile can get!
Optimal [...]
“Rotline” Question of the Week: Where can I get more browns?
Posted in "Rotline" Question of the Week, tagged browns, carbon to nitrogen ratio, chippers, compost bins, Composting, greens, hay, Master Composters, mulch, shredders, straw, yard trimmings on June 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Greens, or nitrogen-rich materials, are often easy to come by. When using an outdoor compost bin, many people have trouble locating enough browns to maintain an appropriate nitrogen to carbon ratio. Here are some suggestions from one our Master Composters for locating some local browns for your pile.
Yard trimmings: dried leaves, wood chips, dried plant [...]
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