YOUR GUIDE TO BACKYARD COMPOSTING cityoforlando.net/composter WHAT IS COMPOSTING? Composting is the process of turning kitchen and yard waste into usable, nutrient FOOD WASTE rich soil through natural decomposition. Inside the composter, organic waste is broken down through a controlled process by micro organisms. By utilizing the PER YEAR correct material, these micro organisms will create a soil product that is incredibly nutrient dense and great for your garden plants. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? • Diverts food and yard waste from the landfill, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions = • Creates an enriched soil which can be used in your garden • Suppresses plant diseases and pests 474 1.3 • Saves you money by reducing the need for chemical fertilizer POUNDS POUNDS PER HOUSEHOLD PER PERSON COMPOST USE PER YEAR PER DAY • Amend your garden soil by working compost into it • Sprinkle compost on your lawn to foster healthy and robust soil of everything in • Improve the soil around trees and shrubs by spreading compost near the root zone landfills could (leave 4” clear around the trunk) 24% have been composted or recycled. COMPOST LOCATION • Place the composter on exposed soil in a dry, shady or moderately sunny spot that is near a source of clean water. • Use the four provided plastic screws to secure the composter to the ground. • Make sure it’s convenient to get to the composter, as you’ll be taking your food waste out often. cityoforlando.net/composter 3 STEPS FOR COMPOSTING PREPARATION MAINTENANCE HARVEST • Chop, shred or tear items into smaller • Cover fresh food waste with a layer of • Compost can be harvested after about pieces. This will help speed up the leaves, other dry yard trimmings, or soil. 4 to 6 months. You’ll know it’s ready decomposition process. • Add water until your compost is the when the soil is a crumbly moist texture • Line your container with newspaper to moisture of a wrung-out sponge. and gives off an earthy aroma. soak up liquids. When you empty the • Periodically stir the container to • For small harvesting, use the harvest bin into the composter the newspaper aerate the compost and encourage door at the base of the composter. can go along with it. decomposition. • For large harvesting, unscrew the • Empty the contents of your container anchoring screws and remove the into your composter. container. Place any large food scraps back in the composter for the next cycle. Composting requires a mix of nitrogen and carbon to WHAT CAN I COMPOST? create the proper setting for decomposition. Green waste such as food scraps, bring nitrogen whereas brown waste, leaves and paper products, add carbon to the mix. GREEN BROWN “NO” LIST • Meat • Fruit • Bones, • Vegetables • Shredded • Nuts • Fats • Crushed egg cardboard • Shells • Grease shells • Bread • Lard • Grains • Oils • Dairy • Yard • Shredded trimmings (butter, milk, • Coffee grounds black and eggs) • Leaves • Filters white • Diseased plants newspaper • Dryer & vacuum • Charcoal ashes cleaner lint • Hay • Straw • Toxic materials • Grass clippings • Wood chips • Hair • Nonbiodegradable • House plants • Fur materials • Shredded cotton & • Cat or dog waste wool rags • Litter TROUBLESHOOT YOUR PILE PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Rotten egg smell Insufficient air or too much moisture Turn pile and incorporate coarse browns (sawdust, leaves) Ammonia smell Too much nitrogen Incorporate coarse browns Pile does not heat up or decomposes slowly Pile too small Add more organic matter Insufficeient moisture Turn pile and add water Lack of nitrogen Incorporate food waste Not enough air Turn pile Cold weather Increase pile size of insulate cityoforlando.net/composter RECYCLERECYCLERECYCLE RECYCLERECYCLERECYCLERECYCLERECYCLELOCALLY LOCALLYLOCALLYTogether, we can make a dierence. Together,Together, wewe cancan makemake aa dierence.dierence. PleasePleaseLOCALLYPlease helphelp usus help toto recycle recycleus to recycle everythingeverything everything possible.possible. possible. LOCALLYLOCALLYLOCALLYLOCALLYJuntosTogether, podemos we can makehacer a una dierence. diferencia. Por favor, Together,Together,JuntosJuntosLOCALLYTogether,Together, we we can podemoscanpodemos we makewe make can can a haceramakehacer makedierence. dierence. a una unaa dierence. dierence. diferencia.diferencia. PorPor favor,favor, Together, we can make a dierence. Pleaseayúdanosayúdanos Pleasehelp usayúdanosPlease help to a arecycle reciclarusreciclar help to a recycle useverythingreciclar todo todoto recycle everything lolo todo posible.posible. possible. everything lo posible. possible. possible. RECYCLING Please Pleasehelp usPlease help to recycle ushelp to usrecycle everything to recycle everything possible. everything possible. possible. Juntos JuntospodemosJuntos podemos hacer podemos una hacer diferencia. unahacer diferencia. una Por diferencia. favor, Por favor, Por favor, The City of Orlando uses single stream recycling, soJuntos put all Juntospodemosof yourJuntos recyclablespodemos hacer podemos una intohacer diferencia. the hacer una cart. diferencia. Largeuna Por diferencia. boxes favor, Por can favor, get Por stuck favor, and cause ayúdanosayúdanos a reciclarayúdanos a reciclar todo a loreciclar todoposible. lo todo posible. lo posible. recycling to stay in your cart. Break boxes down soayúdanos they comeayúdanos aout reciclarayúdanos of the a reciclar carttodo aeasily. reciclarlo todoposible. Items lotodo accepted:posible. lo posible. 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