Composting At BFCG

We now have year-round facility for composting. See the information flyer.

You can also compost in your plot. During the season, see the various methods below.

Remember that at the end of the season it is not necessary and not recommended that vegetation/organic material be removed from your garden. Also, gardeners are encouraged to leave flowers in place to provide for our pollinators. Aside from your flowers, vegetation (including vines and plant stalks) must be cut to lengths/heights of less than two (2) feet and distributed evenly across your garden. That's all there is to it!

In Your Garden: Pit or Trench

• Dig a hole or trench l2"–l4" deep in your garden plot. Throw in your weeds and chopped up plant debris. Sprinkle with manure/bedding. Cover it with loose soil. If weeds have gone to seed it's best to dispose of them.

  In Your Garden: Garbage Bag

• Take a 32-gallon trash bag. Put leaves, grass clippings, garden refuse, weeds, etc. into the bag. Toss in some garden soil and manure to activate it. Open the bag each day to let in some air and shake the bag daily. Add water if it is too dry. Add some dry material if it is too wet. It should feel like a squeezed-out sponge. After the bag is full, dump it in the garden and spread it around to air out for a day. Mix it in your garden soil and start over again.

  In Your Garden: Bins or Boxes

• Construct a simple box or wire bin without a bottom. You can even line it with a plastic bag to contain the heat created and to control the amount of moisture. Layer materials starting with something dry and coarse like straw. Next, layer garden waste, manure, leaves, and soil. Continue this process. Keep it moist and aerate it every week or so by lifting up the bin, moving it to another area and refilling it with what you dumped out.

  common area Bins System

• Gardeners do not use the common bins for material from individual plots. When using at volunteer projects, signs at the compost bin area direct use. Do not put any diseased vegetation in this pile. It should be thrown in the dumpster or burned. Any large pieces of vegetation should be chopped up with a shovel. Finished compost product will be used as needed to improve the soil of the Garden.