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At 11%, a significant portion of all garbage is food waste. Composting is a natural process that breaks down organic materials and can greatly reduce what we landfill and incinerate.

Backyard composting is an easy way to turn much of the waste from your yard and kitchen into a rich organic material that you can use to improve your soil. Using finished compost on your lawn and garden will add nutrients, suppress weeds and hold moisture in the soil.

Home Composting Tips

  • You can compost:
    • vegetable and fruit scraps,
    • coffee grounds and coffee filters,
    • tea leaves and tea bags,
    • egg shells,
    • yard waste and more...
  • Keep your compost pile at the right moisture level. If your compost pile has a bad odor, it lacks air circulation or it may be too wet. Try turning the pile with a pitchfork or shovel or adding dry material to the pile.
  • If your compost pile is not heating up, it may need more nitrogen or "green" material. Add grass clippings or a nitrogen fertilizer to the pile.
  • Bury kitchen scraps at least 8'' deep in the compost pile to discourage critters.
  • You can keep adding to your compost pile as it is composting. However, you may want to start a second pile if you have enough materials.
  • Add a layer of straw or hay to the top of your compost pile in the winter to keep it warm and keep on composting!
  • The best pile is made up of a variety of materials.
  • The smaller the pieces of compost material, the faster the pile will decompose.

For information on composting food and yard waste, visit Reduce.org from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

 

Compost Bins Available For "Dirt Cheap"

Hennepin County has partnered with Lakewinds Natural Foods to sell compost bins. Backyard composting is an easy way for residents to turn much of the waste from their yards and kitchens into a rich material that can be used to improve the soil.

The bins are being sold at a reduced cost of only $30. The compost bin features a 13-cubic-foot capacity, a sturdy, easy-to-open lid, two harvesting doors, and is made of black recycled plastic. There is a limit of one bin per household. The bins are available two ways:

Compost Bin
  • Lakewinds Natural Foods in Minnetonka (17501 Minnetonka Blvd., 952-473-0292) and Chanhassen (435 Pond Promenade, 952-697-3366). Residents must pre-order by May 3 by stopping in or calling the store, or by registering online at www.hennepin.us, keyword search “compost bin." Payment will be made at the time of pick-up on or after May 19 during regular store hours. (See www.lakewinds.com)
  • Hennepin County’s Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park.  Bins will be available for purchase on a first come, first serve basis on Wednesday evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm, beginning May 23. No pre-order is necessary. Bins are available while supplies last.

For general questions about the compost bin sale, see www.hennepin.us keyword search “compost bin” or call Hennepin County Environmental Services at 612-348-9266