Learn how you can get your own compost bin.
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Backyard Composting
Benefits of Composting
Through composting, you can recycle fruit scraps, vegetable peelings,
grass and leaves into a wonderful soil amendment called humus.
- Enjoy healthier plants! Compost can be spread on your lawn, as
top dressing, or placed around plants, bushes and trees as a mulch to
help retain moisture and inhibit weed growth.
- Reduce your garbage! Remove the organic material from your
garbage and you may be able to have a smaller garbage can.
- Conserve water! Placing compost around plants, bushes and trees
will help retain moisture so you won't have to water as much. Composting
your food waste means you don't have to use your garbage disposal and
the extra water it takes to flush it down your drain.
What type of material can be composted?
- Vegetable scraps
- Green plant trimmings
- Fruit scraps
- Old flowers
- Leaves
- Tea bags
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Acorns
- Sawdust
- Grass clippings
- Rinsed eggshells
- Pine needles
- Garden waste
- Straw
To prevent odors and keep pests away from your compost bin, do
not compost the following:
- meat or bones
- pet waste
- whole eggs
- dairy products
- animal by-products
To Learn More About Composting
Anoka County Integrated Waste Management has two free booklets related to
yard and garden care: Composting and Grasscycling and Shrub and
Tree Care. To order or download these booklets, go to the
Publications page.
Information from the University of Minnesota Extension Service can be
accessed on-line at
www.extension.umn.edu
The Extension Service has many publications that can be ordered for a small
fee.
In addition, the Anoka County Extension Service has a Master Gardener
Line who can answer your questions. Call 763-767-2891 and leave a message.
A Master Gardener will call you back.
Anoka County Integrated Waste Management
Government Center
2100 3rd Avenue, STE 340
Anoka, MN 55303-5032
Phone: (763) 323-5730 | Fax: (763) 323-5731 | E-mail:
use the Contact Us page