New rules mean rethinking which compost bin to use
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Now there's a breakfast fit for worms: Berry stems,
melon rinds, banana peel and avocado skin. If you
are not a vermicomposter, all this can go in a regular
compost bin or into the organic waste collection can.
(Photo: Kathy Morrison)
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Here's the scenario I imagine in my kitchen tomorrow as the state's new organic waste law goes into effect:
Me: "OK, the worms certainly get the melon rinds, the strawberry stems, the carrot peelings and the wilty spinach."
Other Me: "Wait, the carrot peelings and the spinach should be frozen with the onion ends to make vegetable broth."
Me: "Oh, right. And the worms don't like onions. Or citrus. So my compost bin at the community garden should get the moldy lemon, along with the dried-out garlic cloves, the corn husks and the cobs."
Other Me: "But corn cobs never break down fast enough in that compost bin. You really should chop things up better and turn them more often."
Me: "Uh, thanks for making me feel guilty about not turning my compost. But here's a solution: The corn cobs now can go into the green waste, I mean Organic Waste, container. Along with the dead flowers from that vase, that rock-hard cheddar cheese, the super-stale leftover crackers and the rest of the hummus I forgot about until it turned moldy."
Other Me: "Well, you COULD grind up the crackers to bread chicken. But storage is a problem when the freezer's so full. OK, just be sure to also throw in the used tea bags -- so glad we like a brand without staples or tags. And while you're at it, round up any wine corks (natural, not plastic) and toss those in, too."
Me: "Wine corks, really? OK, got a few of those."
Other Me: "The skin from last night's grilled fish, too. And the paper towel you used to dry the fish before seasoning it."
Me: "Wow, that bin's going to be stinky. I'll put some newspaper in the bottom, and cover up all this stuff with the stems I cut off my cured garlic crop."
Other Me: "Fight stinky with stinky! Good idea. By the way, don't forget to peel the sticker off the melon rind. Worms don't like plastic."
And ... scene!
Yes, it's going to take even compost veterans a bit of adjustment. But we can do it. The planet's worth it.
For more information on complying with the new law, check out these sites for Sacramento County residents, depending on where you live:
-- Folsom
-- Elk Grove
-- County of Sacramento (all unincorporated areas)
And if you'd like to know more about composting at home , especially worm composting , the links take you to great information from the UCCE Sacramento County master gardeners. Then during Harvest Day, on Aug. 6, come check out the compost set-up at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. Learn to keep all that rich, soil-building compost for yourself!
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Garden checklist for week of Feb. 8
Dodge those raindrops and get things done! Your garden needs you.
* Start your spring (and summer) garden. Transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots. Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions. Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.
* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.
* This is the last chance to spray fruit trees before they bloom. Treat peach and nectarine trees with copper-based fungicide. Spray apricot trees at bud swell to prevent brown rot. Apply horticultural oil to control scale, mites and aphids on fruit trees soon after a rain. But remember: Oils need at least 24 hours to dry to be effective. Don’t spray during foggy weather or when rain is forecast.
* Feed spring-blooming shrubs and fall-planted perennials with slow-release fertilizer. Feed mature trees and shrubs after spring growth starts.
* Remove aphids from blooming bulbs with a strong spray of water or insecticidal soap.
* Fertilize strawberries and asparagus.
Contact Us
Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com
Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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