Composting
Composting
What Is Composting?
Composting is nature's way of recycling organic material such as leaves, grass clippings, twigs, fruit and vegetable trimmings into a dark, crumbly, sweet smelling soil conditioner.
What is Worm Composting?
Worm composting, or vermicomposting, uses red wiggler worms to break down kitchen scraps into a super rich fertilizer.
What is Grasscycling?
Grass clippings make up a surprisingly large portion of California's waste during the growing season. To keep these out of the waste stream, try Grasscycling; it's easy! Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. They decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients back into the soil. Call the Master Composter "Rotline" at 408-918-4640 for more information.
More information on Grass-Cycling from the California Integrated Waste Management Board
Why Should I Compost?
With organic material making up approximately half of San Jose's municipal waste, at-home composting reduces the cost of yard trimming collection and processing, keeps kitchen wastes out of the landfill, and turns organic material into valuable product for gardens and houseplants. Compost is great for gardens and landscaping and you save money by not having to buy soil conditioners, mulch, and fertilizer.
Composting:
- Saves you money by lowering garbage bills and replacing store-bought soil conditioners.
- Helps garden and house plants by improving the fertility and health of your soil.
- Saves water by helping the soil hold moisture and reducing water runoff.
- Benefits the environment by recycling valuable organic resources reducing transport and processing of materials and reducing waste to our landfills.
More information on Home Composting from the California Integrated Waste Management Board
What Can I Compost?
Yard wastes, such as fallen leaves, grass clippings, weeds, the remains of garden plants, and kitchen scraps make excellent compost. However, care must be taken when composting kitchen scraps. Meat, bones, and fatty foods (such as cheese, salad dressing, and leftover cooking oil) don't belong in the bin and must be put in the garbage. Find out more about composting "do's and dont's" on the Santa Clara County Solid Waste Commission website.
How Can I Use Compost?
Compost can be used to enrich garden soil, improve the soil around trees, shrubs and houseplants and when screened, as part of a seed-starting mix or lawn top dressing.
How Do I Get Started?
Composting can be practiced in any home, apartment, or townhouse. While you need some space to backyard compost, anyone can compost with a worm bin. For more detailed information visit The Master Composter website.
For composting to take place, you will need four basic ingredients: nitrogen (such as lawn clippings), carbon (like fallen leaves), water and air.
For worm composting, you just need a comfortable place for worms, the worms themselves, and kitchen scraps.
Find out how to purchase a bin
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Available Bins
Compost bins can be purchased at subsidized prices through San José Composts! or can be self constructed. For information on how to build a bin, how to sign up for a compost class or Bay-Friendly Gardening Workshop, and other general composting questions, contact the Santa Clara County Home Composting Program Master Composters at 408-918-4640.
Bargain Bins! The San José Composts! program provides San José residents with composting bins at bargain prices. Subsidies are provided through the Recycle Plus program and therefore, are available only to residents with San José ID or a recycle plus bill and photo ID. Checks or cash are accepted at the bin sales. Non-San José residents can call their City offices for local composting programs.
You can get started with home composting, Dirt Cheap! Click here
Compost bins are recommended for backyard composters as they speed up decomposition and prohibit vermin and pests. The following bins are provided by the City of San José for San José residents and City of San José employees.
 | Smith and Hawken Biostack Compost Bin
This bin can be used to compost yard trimmings and kitchen wastes. At 1 cubic yard it's the right size to help organics break down into a rich soil amendment for improving soil quality and adding nutrients. The biostack has 3 tiers designed for quick turning - making it easy to have finished compost in 12-16 weeks. This bin retails for $100. San José residents can purchase the biostack for only $50. |
 | Wriggly Wranch
The Wriggly Wranch uses red wiggler worms to break down kitchen scraps into the world's best fertilizer! The 2-tiered bin is the "Cadillac" of worm bins with a patented design for simple harvesting and a tap to drain liquid fertilizer from the unit. This bin retails for $120. San José residents can buy it for only $50.
Download a Wriggly Wranch Basics Manual in PDF format (48 KB).
Download Adobe's Free Acrobat Reader software from Adobe Systems' web site. |
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Gardening and Compost Workshops and Bin Sales
Bay-Friendly Workshops
NEW! San José has teamed with the Bay-Friendly Landscaping and Gardening Coalition to bring you a series of workshops that offer techniques to create a sustainable, healthy, and beautiful garden.
The program was developed to encourage environmentally friendly gardening choices. Attend the workshops described below to find out how to build healthy soil, minimize fertilizer use, select appropriate plants, and more!
All workshops are from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required. There is a $20 materials fee payable in advance. Visit www.reducewaste.org to register online, or call (408) 918-4640. Workshops are hosted by the Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission of Santa Clara County.
Bay-Friendly Gardening Basics – Considering form and function before planting can save you time and resources. This workshop will provide an overview of design and maintenance considerations and practices that will help you make smart choices at the nursery.
Gardening from the Ground Up – Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. Understanding your soil will help you grow a blossoming garden this season and for seasons to come. Backyard composting, sheet mulching basics and other soil building techniques will be covered during this workshop.
Let Worms Eat Your Garbage – Discover how to save on space and achieve big benefits — worm composting is a great way to recycle kitchen scraps into a fantastic organic fertilizer.
Gardening to Manage Pests Naturally – Learn to control pests without the use of pesticides. Attract beneficial insects to your garden. Discover least-toxic methods for managing common garden pests such as snails, slugs, aphids, and yellow jackets.
Bay-Friendly Gardening Basics
County Services Center – Auditorium
1555 Berger Drive |
February 27
July 10
September 11 |
Gardening from the Ground Up
MAEP Erikson Adult Center World Garden
4849 Pearl Avenue at Minas Drive |
April 10*
May 1*
June 5*
August 14*
October 2* |
Let Worms Eat Your Garbage
County Service Center – Auditorium
1555 Berger Drive |
March 6*
Please note:
This class ends at 12:00 p.m. |
Gardening to Manage Pests Naturally
County Service Center – Auditorium
1555 Berger Drive |
November 6 |
* Compost bin sales are offered at these workshops from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You do not have to attend the workshop to purchase a bin. The City of San José offers subsidized bin sales at these workshops to San José residents with a valid driver’s license with a San José address or a Recycle Plus bill and picture ID. Check or cash accepted — NO credit cards please. Check out the available bins you can choose from.
FREE Evening Compost Classes hosted by Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Garden
Complete your garden or get started gardening by learning how to compost – one of the best ways to add nutrients to your soil and keep waste out of the landfill at the same time. This class covers items such as what can be composted, the various composting methods available, and what to do with finished compost. You'll receive help choosing which method works best for you! The class is free, and you can register on-line. Call (408) 298-7657 for more information. There are no compost bin sales at these events.
Gardening from the Ground Up
Guadalupe River Park Visitor Center
438 Coleman Ave., San José |
April 7
June 2
August 4
September 1
Please note:
These classes are from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
|
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Composting Resources
Visit these helpful sites for more composting information.
The Master Composter website will enable you to find valuable information on everything you ever wanted to know about composting.
Santa Clara County Solid Waste Commission website tells you all about their Master Composter Training Program, and their free 2 hour composting workshops. While you're there, learn why we should compost, how to compost, and basic worm composting details.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board is responsible for managing California's solid waste stream—helping California divert 50 percent of its waste from landfills by the year 2000 and protecting public health and the environment. The Waste Board is one of six agencies under the umbrella of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Where to Buy Compost
Compost can be purchased from garden centers at most hardware and home improvement stores. To buy bulk compost at competitive prices, please call BFI at (408) 945-2844, or Zanker RRM at (408) 263-2385.
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