Composters.com's Composting Blog

Composting Goes Citywide!
September 17th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

I always thought it would be cool if someday our cities picked up our green scraps just like they do our trash and recycling. Why not? Save space in the landfills, throw some new soil into local parks and gardens, and create some new city jobs in the processÖ

San Francisco has done just that. Their ì3-Cart Curbside Recycling Programî provides an innovative model for waste management that seeks up to 75% of the cityís waste to recycling by the year 2010. Businesses and private residents are coming together with city to make this happen. Check out San Franciscoís Environmental Department to learn more about this ambitious and groundbreaking (no pun intended!) citywide program.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments ª
Assembling a Garden Gourmet Compost Bin
September 10th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Here is a step-by-step video on how to assemble a Garden Gourmet compost bin with some valuable tips on composting.

Posted in How-to, Video, Featured Product, Tips | 1 Comment ª
The Compost Bench!
September 8th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

compost bench

Hereís something entirely new and unique in our supply of compost bins: the Dual Purpose Compost Bench! If having a regular, standard looking compost bin in your yard space seems a bit unsightly to you, this thing has got your yard covered. For composters, this might just be the solution to concerns over the decor of your yard or landscape design. With aeration slats beneath the seat area that serves both the minimalist design of the bench as well as keeping the compost oxygenated, the compost bench is quite the novelty item that accomplishes both form and function in one nice product to furnish your yard. The bench is 21 inches from the seat to the ground with the hinged seat cover as the access lid for placement, removal, and turning of the compost. Made from 100% recycled lumber, the bench is resistant to termites, decay, moisture, and solar rays. And for those concerned about the smell that may generate from the compost should know that when done correctly, finished compost should have a faint earthy smell. Imagine a soothing afternoon on that bench in the yard with a book in your hands and the aroma of earth permeating the air.

Posted in Featured Product, General | 1 Comment ª
Compost Bins vs. Compost Tumblers, Part.II
July 31st, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Coming back to the Composting Blog and reading some of the recent comments left by readers, I figured since a good few were questions regarding some aspects of composting, whether it was a question about how to use a particular composter or about composting in general, I thought this might be a good time to start an ongoing feature providing tips and information on various topics pertaining to composting or the composting products that we supply. Feel free to ask any further questions in the comments section and either your humble admin (thatís me) or fellow composters will do our best to answer them. So without further ado, I will begin with this tidbit of information stemming from a recent comment.

Question: Does a compost tumbler produce compost faster than a standard compost bin?

Answer: The short answer is simply no. A compost bin can produce finished compost in the same amount of time a tumbler can if the pile is continually turned and aerated, which is pretty much what a tumbler does by turning the bin with a handle instead of a garden fork. It is only a matter of preference when it comes down to the choice between a compost tumbler and a compost bin. Though the tumbler is the efficient and convenient alternative, gardeners and composters who prefer a more hands-on approach with their composting will find the compost bin their best option. Otherwise, whether you choose a tumbler or a bin, your result is equal to the amount of effort you put into it.

Posted in Tips, General | 1 Comment ª
Drought hits California again
July 1st, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

rain barrelsAs declared by Governor Schwarzenegger last month, California is officially in another state of drought. It may be no surprise; however, the last official drought declaration was back in 1991, which means the compounded problem of the low reservoir levels and harmful climate change shows the dire circumstance that California seems to constantly find itself in. Though the current reservoir level isnít quite as low as the former drought problem, the issue at hand that forced the drought declaration this time appears to be the consistency of Californiaís water problem, from its shortage to infrastructural deficiencies.

Read the rest of this entry ª

Posted in News | 3 Comments ª
Our compost bin featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show!
June 18th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Itís been a while since our last update; and I hope we havenít kept any of our readers on the edge of their seats for too long. Our blog is still very much active so be on the lookout for more updates to come. Hereís a relatively late bit of news:

Oprah composting

How many of you watched the April 22nd episode of the Oprah Winfrey show? The famous talk show host dedicated the hour-long Earth Day episode to going green. She brought along some of her high profile celebrity friends such as Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, and Al Gore to demonstrate some green practices and discuss environmental issues that we currently face. The compost bin used in the ìComposting 101″ demonstration segment was the Garden Gourmet supplied by Composters.com for the episode. It was interesting (and a bit surreal) to see that compost bin go from our own warehouse to standing right next to the most famous talk show host on television. Though we were not mentioned as the direct supplier, it was still a proud moment for us here. The episode was somewhat timely since summer officially begins this Friday (June 20th), which means itís composting season.

Posted in News, General | 1 Comment ª
Make the Most of Your Compost
January 9th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Curious as to whether your household produces enough compost material to make the investment in a composter worthwhile?

As a general rule, any organic matter can be composted. However, unless youíre a professional, certain contents should never enter your home composting system. Follow these basic guidelines to make the most of your composting system:
No Compost

Composter Beware!
Be sure to avoid wastes that attract pests such as: dairy products, meat/fish scraps, bones, fat, oil, grease, and feces. Also, disease and insect ridden plant materials including weeds and seeds should be eliminated in other ways. In addition, wood ash does not belong in the composter ó it canít be broken down any further and may inhibit the decomposition process of other materials.

Compost Away!
Greens, which are high in nitrogen, make excellent compost material, so throw in house plants, grass clippings, prunings, fruits and veggies, manure, and kitchen scraps such as coffee grounds & filters, bread, egg shells, citrus rinds and vegetable peels. Browns, which are high in carbon, can also be composted with confidence. Add corn stalks, chopped brush, shredded newspaper, sawdust, woodchips, straw, bark and leaves with out worry.

Posted in General | 9 Comments ª
Throw Your Plants a Compost Tea Party!
January 9th, 2008
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Compost TeaEveryone knows that compost is a phenomenal addition to soil which results in better growing gardens. But did you know that you can further benefit your plants by steeping them a pot of Compost Tea?

With the right equipment, Compost Tea is easy to make. Soaking your compost in water extracts beneficial microbes. The resulting nutrient-rich brew can be applied to the soil or sprayed directly onto plant leaves.

Compost Tea acts as both a plant fertilizer and as a disease prevention agent (including root rot disease). Using Compost Tea as a replacement for toxic fungicides, pesticides, and chemical-based fertilizers is a simple and logical way to protect the environment and garden safely.

Posted in General | 5 Comments ª
Compost bins vs. Compost tumblers
August 20th, 2007
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Garden Gourmet - compost binAnd so the debate begins: which is better, the compost bin or the compost tumbler? Granted, both will get you superb results - rich black soil known throughout the composting world as black gold - and both essentially help decompose organic matter. But again, which is better? Well, I suppose it depends on who you talk to. Those who use compost bins find it satisfying to turn their compost by pitchfork as it gives them a reason to enjoy an outdoor activity that benefits both them and their garden. Others who utilize compost tumblers realize they have very little time to go out and acutally turn their compost, and would rather just rotate the barrel of the tumbler with a crank for quick aeration with little manual labor. For every pro, there is a con; manually turning your compost Urban Compost Tumbler Delux in your compost bin can get quite dirty, and sweaty depending on the season. Thatís not to say that compost tumblers donít have their share of cons: tumblers are a bit more expensive and depending on the type your purchase, can be just as messy especially if you have to roll it around the yard when the compost is not yet ready. The debateís open, folks - which do you prefer and why?

Posted in General | 19 Comments ª
California Resource Recovery Association 2007 Conference and Tradeshow
August 7th, 2007
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Hello composting buddies, this is OrganicNik here ñ AKA Nicole Krause ñ just wanting to tell you about the California Resource Recovery Association 2007 Conference and Tradeshow I attended July 30th and 31st in San Pedro.

organicnik-aka-nicole-krause.jpg

Read the rest of this entry ª

Posted in Conferences/Tradeshows | 7 Comments ª

Composting Blog is proudly powered by WordPress