Soil Renewal - Composting Demo Site

What Is Composting?
In a forest or a meadow, organic material such as dead plants and leaves break down or decompose slowly. Composting speeds up the natural process of decomposition.

Why Compost?
Compostng turns your kitchen scraps and yard "waste" into a good quality fertilizer and soil enhancer which is great for your gardens. It also reduces the "waste" you send to landfill by up to one half.

Which Container Is Best?
That depends on:
- the space you have available
- the amount of material to be composted
- how quickly you want to produce compost
- our personal preferences

Turning or mixing organics is easier in the larger, home-made designs, but these composters take up more space. Store bought composters take up less space but it can be difficult to mix the organics inside. See our display to help you choose.

How Does It Work?
Kitchen and yard "waste" is converted into soil by a whole community of organisms such as worms, fungi and bacteria. These organisms need air to survive. By "turning" or mixing your compost pile you allow air into the pile which encourages a thriving community of decomposing organisms. The healthier the community of organisms, the more quickly decomposition occurs.

How Can I Start Composting?
1 - Place your chosen container on well-drained, level soil.
2 - Add kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels and egg shells (NO meat, cheese, gravy, or sauces) and SMALL amounts of yard waste (leaves and grass).
3 - Keep the pile moist - not dripping wet.
4 - Aerate the pile at least twice a year by mixing the whole pile with a pitchfork or a shovel. The more you aerate (up to once every two weeks), the more quickly the material will turn into compost.

What Happens In The Winter?
Decomposition occurs even in the winter. The process slows down considerably, but will speed up again in the spring. So you can add kitchen scraps all year round.