Composting 101

Compost: Your Garden Soil's Best Friend!

Join us to learn about various (easy) ways to make compost happen! Turn your kitchen scraps and yard trimmings into the decomposed material known as compost. This results in less food waste, fewer materials sent to the landfill, and fewer emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. Add that compost to your garden soil to add nutrients, retain moisture, and encourage the growth of beneficial microorganisms that support plant growth.

Despite all the benefits of compost, it is easy to be discouraged (or exhausted!) by the work of making it. The classic method requires precise proportions of “browns” and “greens,” specific moisture levels, and frequent compost pile turning. The good news is that there are many other ways to create compost, from making leaf mold to sheet composting, from hügelkultur to Japanese tomato rings, and vermicomposting with earthworms. Come learn how to make it happen in your space!

Dr. DeBerry will join us in person for this presentation. Register to reserve your seat in the library or register to join us online from your home. We will send you a Zoom link to join us.

Dr. Candy DeBerry gardens on 1/3 acre on the edge of the small city of Washington in southwestern Pennsylvania. She is passionate about growing native plants to support biodiversity, harvesting blue ribbons from the county fair for her garlic, tomatoes, and peppers, and collecting eggs from her three backyard chickens. To support her gardening habit, Dr. DeBerry is also a Professor of Biology, Director of the Biochemistry program, and Coordinator of Science Internships at Washington & Jefferson College, where she teaches Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and a senior seminar on cancer.