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We all know that landfills are filling up with more garbage every day, but did you know that organic material (i.e., yardwaste and food waste) is the biggest source of municipal garbage? Yardwaste is 100% biodegradable and according to the EPA, if composted, can be used to prevent pollution, control diseases of plants and animals, landscape, and control erosion.
Since 1997, the City and County of Napa in cooperation with the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have taught home composting, “grasscycling”, and worm composting to almost 6,000 Napa Valley households through Napa’s Home Composting Workshops. Sara Gallegos, Materials Diversion Analyst for the City of Napa, estimates that in the past thirteen years over 26,000 tons (approximately 2,000 tons per year) of organic materials have been kept away from the curb and out of the landfills thanks to home composting in Napa Valley.
What is composting and why do it?
Composting, nature’s way of recycling, is the controlled decomposition of organic
material such as leaves, twigs, grass
clippings and vegetable food waste.
Compost is the soil product that results
from proper composting. Composting helps
to keep organic material out of our
landfills and turns that material into a
useful product. With organics making up more than half of California’s municipal waste, on-site composting reduces the cost
of hauling garbage and operating landfills. Moreover, compost is great for gardens and landscaping and you save money by not having to buy soil conditioners, mulch and fertilizer.
How do you compost and prevent
yardwaste at home anyway?
There are four basic ways to prevent yardwaste at home. The first is the “rapid” or “hot” compost method, recommended by the University of California and Master Gardeners, it yields compost quickly and if done properly destroys many pathogens and weed seeds. It is a batch method and requires regular attention, but you could have compost in as little as two to three weeks. Second, there is the less intensive
“cold” or “no fuss” method. With this slower
approach, it can take a year or more for the material to break down. This method does
not kill diseases or weed seeds, but has the
advantage that you can add more material at any time. Smaller pieces will compost
faster and worms, microbes and bugs
assist with the breakdown in both these types of composting. Third, there is worm composting, which uses red wiggler worms to convert kitchen scraps and shredded paper into excellent food for your plants. This method can be done indoors or out. Worm composting converts food waste into rich dark worm compost filled with
nutrients. Lastly, there is “grasscycling”, the
natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings
on the lawn when mowing. Grass clippings
decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients such as nitrogen back into the soil.
Where can you compost?
Compost can be made in an open pile in your garden or yard in either sun or shade. If you use a bin or container, the pile will stay neat and potentially decompose faster.
The ideal size for a hot compost pile is 3’X3’X3’. Multiple bins can make turning
the pile easier; you can simply move
material from one bin to the next.
What do you need to make compost?
The three main ingredients are brown material, green material and water. You need equal amounts of brown (dry)
material, such as chopped leaves, pine needles, or dry refuge from your garden,
and green material, such as grass
clippings, prunings, weeds, other green materials from the garden, and enough water to make the material moist.
What do you need to grasscycle?
There are mulching mowers that cut up grass into fine pieces so that it decomposes
quickly, but you can grasscycle with any mower if you follow proper mowing techniques. If you cut grass when the surface is dry, keep your mower blades sharp, and mow your lawn frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade is cut in any one direction, you can grasscycle without a mulching mower.
Can you add kitchen scraps to a compost pile?
Almost any organic plant based waste from the kitchen may be used. Fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and shredded paper are good for composting. Do not add meat scraps, bones, other animal product or foods high in oil and fat. These items generate foul odors and attract insects and animal pests.
How can you stop flies and other insects from becoming pests around the compost pile?
Flies are attracted to food scraps. To discourage flies, place the food scraps deep in the pile and cover them well with other compost material. Piles made entirely
from yard waste do not usually attract flies and other flying insects in large numbers.
Is it necessary to turn a compost pile?
Turning the pile adds oxygen and
redistributes fresh organic matter to the microorganisms that break it down. This will help decompose the materials faster than simply letting the pile rot. A frequently
turned and carefully managed pile will
decompose in weeks, while a neglected pile can take a year or more to produce useable compost.
Where can I learn more about composting?
The City and County of Napa and UC Master Gardeners of Napa County offer local
residents 10 free composting classes, as well as discounted compost bins for backyard
composting, between the months of March – October in Napa, Calistoga, St. Helena and American Canyon. For south County residents, check your February garbage bill insert for a registration form, fax your requested date to 253-1603 or register
online at www.cityofnapa.org/compost. For more information or questions, please e-mail naparecycles@cityofnapa.org or call
City of Napa Recycling Division at 257-9200.
Space is limited, so register by mail, fax, or online today.
Contributing writers to this article are Floyd
Loomis, Penny Pawl and Yvonne Rasmussen
from the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County and Kevin Miller and Sara Gallegos from the City of Napa Recycling Division. |
