Composting Publications

Backyard Composting

Compost Troubleshooting—Solutions to common problems, such as flies, ants, four-legged creatures, odors, dry compost, worm die-off and more. Download PDF

Home Composting—Basic information on composting. Reasons to compost, compost basics, troubleshooting. Download PDF

How to Use Your New Earth Machine—Simple directions for using an Earth Machine (the bin sold by Green Waste Recovery).  Includes information on turning the material and removing compost. Download PDF

Buying and making Backyard Bins and Worm Bins

Burying Food Scraps—How to bury food waste in empty spots in vegetable and flower gardens, where it will decompose and nourish your plants. Download PDF

Compost Screen—Directions for making a compost screen to sift your compost. Download PDF

Everything You Need to Know About Compost Bins—Lists a variety of backyard and worm compost bins, sources and prices. Download PDF

Homemade Food Scrap Composter—Modify a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid for use as an animal-resistant bin for composting food scraps. Download PDF

Homemade Worm Bins—How to modify a plastic storage container for use as a worm bin. How to make a wooden worm bin. Download PDF

Rotating Barrel Composter—Directions for making a barrel composter from a 45 gallon drum. Download PDF

Wood and Wire Three Compartment Bin—How to make a three compartment compost bin. Download PDF

How to Use Compost

Compost: Benefits and Uses—Benefits of compost, how to use it, and where to buy it. Download PDF

Composter’s Resource Guide—Santa Cruz County Guide to finding compost bins, redworms, raw materials to compost and finished compost for your garden. Download PDF

Grasscycle! Make the Most of Your Lawn. Make the Most of Your Time. Download PDF

Mulches for Your Garden—How to use grass, leaves and other materials as a mulch to conserve water and control weeds. Download PDF

Soil Amendments for Agriculture and Landscaping—A list of compost sources from the central California coastal region. Download PDF

Worm Composting

Attracting Worms to Your Garden—Use compost and organic materials to attract worms to your garden. Download PDF

Getting Started with the Can-O-Worms—Simplified directions for using a Can-O-Worms. Download PDF

More Options for Composting with Worms—Add worms to a plastic backyard compost bin. Download PDF

Worm Bin Creatures—Here are a few you will find in your worm bin. Download PDF

Worm Composting—Everything you need to know to get started composting with worms. Download PDF