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, earthy-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 large portion of yard trimmings 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
Why Should I Compost?
With organic material making up approximately half of San José'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
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 Recycling & Waste Reduction 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
Discounted Bins! The San José Composts! program provides San José residents with composting bins at reduced 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, or purchase a compost bin through Santa Clara County.
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.
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The Wriggly Wranch
The Wriggly Wranch uses red wiggler worms to break down kitchen scraps into the world's best fertilizer! The bin is the "Cadillac" of worm bins with a patented design for simple harvesting and a tap to drain liquid fertilizer from the unit. San José residents can purchase the Wriggly Wranch for only $50. |
 | The Home Composter
This bin can be used to compost yard trimmings and food waste. It's the right size to help organics break down into a rich soil amendment for improving soil quality and adding nutrients. San José residents can purchase the Home Composter for only $30. |
 | The Soil Saver Backyard Composter
This bin can be used to compost yard trimmings and food waste. The structure is open at the bottom to allow beneficial organisms to speed the process of breaking down organic matter into high quality compost, and the bin design allows for ease of use when stirring and mixing. San José residents can purchase the Soil Saver Backyard Composter for only $50. |
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Master Composter Training Program
Make a Difference: Be a Master Composter!
Training includes workshops on the art and science of basic and worm composting, field trips, certification and all training materials. Master Composter training enhances the skills of community leaders, activists, educators, environmentalists, gardeners, and recyclers. We encourage adults of all ages and abilities to apply. If you have ideas and energy for community participation, this class is for you. Classes meet on Wednesday mornings, January 11 – March 14, 2012. Applications are due Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Applicants pay a $50 fee. Fees may be waived upon request. Questions, call (408) 918-4640.
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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. Visit www.reducewaste.org to register online, or call (408) 918-4640. Workshops are hosted by the Santa Clara County Recycling & Waste Reduction Commission.
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.
Let Worms Eat Your Garbage
County Services Center – Auditorium
1555 Berger Drive |
August 27, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Gardening from the Ground Up
Berryessa Community Garden
Commodore and Cape Colony Drive |
October 1, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Gardening to Manage Pests Naturally
County Service Center – Auditorium
1555 Berger Drive |
November 5, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Compost bin sales are offered at all of the above workshops from 11:00 a.m. to one hour after the class end time. You do not have to attend the workshop to purchase a bin. If you are interested in purchasing a bin, but cannot attend any of the above listed bin sales, please call the City of San José Home Composting Program at (408) 975-2502.
- 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.
Evening Compost Classes hosted by Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
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 the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy at (408) 298-7657 for more information. Wriggly Wranches and Soil Savers are available for sale at these classes, but not the Home Composter.
Composting Class
Guadalupe River Park Visitor Center
438 Coleman Ave., San José |
The 2011 composting class schedule has ended. The 2012 schedule is in development.
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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.
The Santa Clara County Recycling & Waste Reduction Commission website tells you all about their Master Composter Training Program, their free two-hour composting workshops, and their Bay-Friendly Gardening Workshop Series. While you're there, learn why we should compost, how to compost, and basic worm composting details.
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 "Rotline" at (408) 918-4640.
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 Allied at (408) 945-2844, or Zanker Road Resource Management at (408) 313-0444.
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