Top Three Reasons to Become a Master Composter

Blog Post by Master Composter Graduate, Tammy Churchill.  When I registered for the Master Composter Course in early 2020, I did not have much experience composting, as my neglected passive pile would gladly attest. Composting was something I was interested in: I’d moved into a new house with plenty of room for growing vegetables, and…

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Climate Solutions: Save Water This Summer With Compost!

In Southern California, it is critical that we conserve water. A great way to tackle the water challenge is to incorporate compost into your summer garden and landscape. In addition to providing valuable nutrients, compost has been proven to increase soil’s water retention capacity. Here are a couple of ways to incorporate compost into your garden…

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Climate Solutions: How to Manage Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Before discussing how to eliminate weeds, there are some common weeds that are both edible and nutritious. Harvesting free greens from our gardens is one way to approach the plants we did not intend to have in our…

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Climate Solutions: What Is the Right Moisture Content for My Worm Bin?

Moisture content is very important when composting with worms. This is because your red wigglers breathe through their skin and need appropriate moisture to do so. Often times the materials you add will give your bin moisture, but you will likely still need to add water to obtain the appropriate amount (especially with warmer weather).…

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Composting Key to Regenerative Agriculture

There’s a lot of buzz about regenerative agriculture, particularly its ability to capture carbon in soil and in aboveground biomass, as well as its many benefits for farmers, consumers, and local environments. According to regenerative agriculture, the answer lies beneath our feet.  Soil loss is a global problem and growing worse around the world, at…

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Climate Solutions: Can Weeds be Composted?

There is not a simple yes or no answer to this query. Weeds have many nutrients so they are a great addition to the compost pile, but you do not want compost filled with viable weed seeds. The best time to take care of weeds is when they are small and have not established deep…

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Climate Solutions: Can I convert a garbage can into a compost bin?

Yes, it is a great solution when a compost pile is just not feasible because of small yards or sensitive neighbors.  Here’s a cheap and easy way to convert one of your garbage cans into a compost bin. Materials: – 30+ gallon plastic garbage can, with locking lid (optional: bungee cords to hold the lid…

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Climate Solutions: What should I do with my worms while on a trip? 

Question: “What should I do with my worms while on a trip?” Answer: Depending on the length of your trip, you will likely not need to do anything at all. Even a new population of worms only needs to be monitored every few days to assess how much food was eaten, moisture levels, and whether they need…

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Climate Solutions: Aerators? What are those for?

Too lazy to turn your compost bin? Is it not easy to turn, or smells bad? If you answered yes to any of these questions, an aerator could be the right tool for you! Aeration (or the addition of air) is a very important ingredient in your compost pile. The microbes breaking down all the…

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SB 1383 Update: Organics Recycling Compliance Enforcement Changes in 2024

Senate Bill 1383, or the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction law, requires that businesses implement programs to ensure organic materials are no longer put in the trash, with edible food being donated and the rest sorted for organic waste recycling. Before the start of 2024, jurisdictions were required to visit Tier One and Tier Two (see…

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