Composting 101
Remember the adage “everything in moderation” when putting together a compost pile. Composting helps to amend the soil, putting nutrients and minerals back in as well as assisting with water retention. At Cranaleith, we have many different methods of composting which include Bokashi. This is a type of fermentation that helps to yield compost tea which can be then diluted and used as a spray on plants. The remainder can be placed into a composting container. Composting helps our gardens to be fertile and yield beautiful vegetables and flowers. Here are some compostable materials:
Green Items
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Cooked rice and pasta
- Crushed egg shells
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Natural tea bags and loose leaf tea
- Seaweed
- Spoiled tofu
- Spoiled tomato paste
- Stale bread, tortillas and pitas
- Stale potato chips
Brown Items
- Black-and-white newspaper
- Cereal boxes (must shred)
- Fallen leaves
- Floor crumbs
- Lint from dryer
- Nut shells (except walnut shells)
- Paper bags (must shred)
- Stale cereal
- Toothpicks
- Untreated wood sawdust
- Unwaxed cardboard (must shred)
- Unwaxed paper plates
- Used paper napkins and paper towels
- Woody pruning
- Wine corks
Leslie Porreca, RSM, LCSW
Garden Coordinator/Kitchen Manager/Therapist
