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Composting
Getting Started Composting
Composting is easy — a great way to recycle yard waste and kitchen scraps into a fertile, sweet-smelling soil builder.
Compost helps grow healthier gardens, lawns, trees, and shrubs that need less water, pesticides, and fertilizer too.
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Learn all about it in the Composting at Home Guide (PDF), or start with key tips from the Guide, below. Use compost to beautify your yard!
To get started, choose the composting system that’s right for you. That depends on what you want to compost:
- • Yard Waste Composting is for leaves, grass clippings, dead plants, stalks, and twigs. A simple open bin or pile, plus water, is all it takes to make soil-like compost in 6 months to a year.
- • Food Waste Composting is for vegetable scraps, soiled paper, and spoiled food, but not meat, dairy, or any animal product. You need a rodent-proof bin like a worm bin or Green Cone, or just bury food waste under the soil.
- • Seattle residents can purchase a compost bin at a discount. Information on suppliers of other compost bins, compost for sale, and more is in the Compost Resource List (PDF).
- • Using Compost, either from your bin or purchased in bags or bulk, is as easy as spreading it under shrubs and perennials, on lawns, or digging compost into garden beds.
For more information
Call or email the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline, (206) 633-0224. Ask your questions, and request a free copy of the Composting guide. Some common answers are in Composting Questions & Answers (PDF).
Related links
Growing Healthy Soil Guide (PDF) has more information on using compost and mulches for a healthy, easy-care yard.
Smart Watering Guide (PDF) tells how compost can help conserve water.
Get To Know Your Soil fact sheet (PDF) describes common soil problems and solutions.
Ecologically Sound Lawn Care Manual (PDF) tells professionals (and interested residents) how to amend soil for lawns (page 28 of that PDF), and how to improve existing lawns by topdressing with compost (page 35).
Climate Action Now
Links to other sites
Seattle Tilth offers classes in composting and organic gardening.
Soils for Salmon shows building and design professionals how to use compost to reduce storm runoff, protect our watersheds, and grow healthier landscapes.
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