Composting in Cottage Country

YES! 

Not if you do it right! Doing it right is easy. You can find tips on composting in bear country here. 

• Save trips to the landfill
• Decrease mess and smell in your kitchen garbage
• Help your yard and garden
• Help the environment, reduce methane emissions and save landfill space
• Help your municipality and keep taxes down

• Get a composter
  • Plastic units are sold at hardware stores
  • Attach simple scrap wood or pallets together to form an enclosure
  • Or just a neat pile!

• Most important is lots of "browns." Brown materials include those such as leaves, twigs, pine needles, sawdust or woodchips, shredded paper or cardboard, and corn stalks. 
• Then add vegetable scraps to your comfort level. 
• If you want to get more ambitious, learn more about making higher quality compost for your garden, or to how to safely incorporate more and more kinds of food from your kitchen. 

While it's tempting to clear your yard in the fall, fallen leaves provide a natural habitat for many beneficial insects, amphibians and small mammals during winter months. When left to decompose, leaves and branches enrich the soil with valuable organic matter, improve moisture retention and also provide great erosion control against heavy wind and rain. If you do need to clear up, even piling leaves in a hidden corner of your yard can provide numerous benefits for local wildlife

Did you know that egg shells have many great uses in your garden? Clean, dry egg shells can be crushed or ground and can be used as a pest repellant when sprinkled on the soil around plants, as a calcium boost for some of your vegetables when added to your soil, or as a mineral boost for your feathered friends in your bird feeder.

Your morning latte can provide more than just a boost for you. Used coffee grounds (no pods please!) can be added to your soil to provide a rich fertilizer boost, while also providing a great pest repellent for snails, ants and fleas. Use sparingly and only around certain plants, as too much coffee can increase the acidity of your soil.

Did you know that some food scraps will regrow with a little love and attention? Lettuce, bok choy, celery, green onions, leeks, avocado, fennel and garlic are all easy to regrow, even on your windowsill. Simply put the vegetable's core or stem in a little bowl of water, place in a sunny spot and voila - savings on your grocery bill! Remember to change the water frequently and monitor shoots as they grow.

Bananas are a great source of nutrients for you and your garden. Soak cut-up peels in water for three days, then strain, for a wonderful liquid fertilizer that can be used on the roots of your plants, or sprayed on leaves to deter aphids. Peels can also be left whole on top of the soil for a slow release nutritional boost.

Cut your citronella candle bill by reusing your citrus peels to repel pesky pests. Washed and dried orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime peels provide a wonderful aroma for us, but some of your less desirable garden critters (like ants and aphids) can't stand. Place your peels around garden beds or bury them near your plants to help deter unwanted company.

There’s a common misconception that composting is a summer-only activity. Even with a layer of snow and ice, the organisms in your compost pile are ready and able to break down all that yummy waste. While it may take a little longer (and we certainly recommend adding an insulating layer of leaves or straw, if you can), your compost pile will remain active throughout the colder months. Very active compost piles may even stay HOT - look out for melted snow and even some steam (that’s normal and a great indication that your compost pile is happy and healthy!)