In order to have the best results in our composting efforts, we established a few guidelines on how to use the compost bins. If you are new to composting, please read them before adding any material to the bins.
Materials to Compost
We can add vegetable and fruit scraps, grass clippings and leaves to the compost. Do not add weeds with flower seeds, meats, fish, oily food waste, woody branches, and non-biodegradable materials like plastics. For more detail, see the picture below.
- Start the composting process with the rightmost bin #1. Move the compost from right to left as the composting progresses. Always add new input only to bin #1 even if the other bins are empty. Mix equal volumes of browns (dried leaves) and greens (kitchen and garden waste).
- Always chop the garden waste into small pieces.
- After a month or so, when bin #1 is full and/or the compost is partially composted, move all the contents of bin #1 into bin #2 (the 2nd bin from the right). Tip: Remove the front boards to move the compost.
- Add water when you turn the compost unless the pile is already moist. Don’t let the pile dry up. Composting will be faster when the pile is kept moist.
- After a month or two, move compost in bin#2 to bin #3; leave the pile to finish composting. Do not add any fresh stock in #2 and #3 even if these bins are only partially full.
- Use bin #4 (leftmost bin) only if it’s needed for the finished compost from #3 to make room for partially composted materials from bin #2. Meanwhile, bin #4 may be used to store bags of dried leaves for use in bin #1.
- Use the finished compost from bins #3 or #4 to use in your plot. Use sparingly.
Questions about the compost should be directed to the Plot Administrator (firstname.lastname@example.org) and the VCG Compost Crew.