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Composting

2010 compost bin sale If you missed our annual one-day compost bin sale, don't worry! A limited number of Earth Machine compost bins, valued at $100.00, are available at the sale price of $30.00 (taxes included) at the following locations: Arbo Flora Garden Centre - 650 St. Anne's Road - 255-2726 Fort Whyte Alive - 1961 McCreary Road - 989-8355 Pollock’s Hardware Co-op - 1407 Main Street - 582-5007 Note: Pollock’s Hardware also has kitchen pails for $7 and compost aerators for $15.

What is composting?
Composting is the natural process of breaking down organic material, such as kitchen and yard waste, to produce a nutrient-rich, soil-like material. The process works with the help of micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi combined with air and moisture.

Why should I compost?

• Composting turns kitchen and yard waste into usable resources - for free.
• It benefits plants, trees and shrubs by returning valuable nutrients to the earth and increasing water retention of soil.
• Composting reduces the amount of garbage sent to the landfill. Composting can reduce your household garbage by approximately one-half.

What materials can be composted?
Most organic materials, such as:

• grass clippings
• garden waste, flower clippings and leaves
• weeds (before they flower)
• fruit and vegetable scraps
• tea leaves, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters
• nutshells and eggshells

Do not compost:

• weeds gone to seed
• meat, fish and bones
• nuts
• animal or human waste
• rhubarb leaves
• diseased plants
• dairy products
• oils and fats

How to compost
For detailed information on how to compost:

• visit Resource Conservation Manitoba or
• call their compost info line at 204-925-3777
• sign up for a free basic composting workshop. Registration is required.

What can I do with the finished compost?
Finished compost is a free and natural alternative to store-bought chemicals and fertilizers and can be used in a number of environmentally friendly ways:

• A natural fertilizer in flower and vegetable gardens
• On the soil surface around trees and shrubs
• For house plants and planter boxes
• As lawn top dressing
• To make compost "tea" to water flowers, vegetables, house plants or trouble spots on the lawn

Additional information

• View our related grasscycling / mulching information. Just leave the grass clippings on the lawn after mowing. The clippings quickly dry out, decompose, and recycle nutrients back into the soil and make your lawn healthy and green. Every time you throw away one bag of grass clippings, you are throwing away about 1/4 pound of lawn fertilizer!
• You can recycle your yard waste free of charge by dropping it off at any leaf it with us depot or at the Brady Road Landfill.
• Information is also available by calling the recycling and garbage information line at 986-8888, code 9813 or contacting 311.

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