Using compost in your garden is one of the best ways to put nutrients back into the soil. Rich soil increases yield, improves plant health and reduces the need for artificial fertilisers.

Composting and worm farming at home

• Kitchen scraps and garden waste makes up almost half of the domestic rubbish produced by a household. Most of this material can be composted, to reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill.
• Using grass cuttings on the garden as mulch saves water, fertiliser and money.
• Residents can reduce their waste to landfill by careful meal planning and shopping. One third of the food bought on the Sunshine Coast is wasted.
• Composting and worm farming are two simple ways to minimise waste.
• Composting creates a nutrient-rich soil conditioner that can be reused in the garden. It provides nutrition for plants, flowers and vegetables and helps to prevent moisture loss when used as surface mulch.

Worm farming is a way to recycle organic materials like kitchen scraps. Compost worms are nature’s own recyclers, converting kitchen scraps and garden waste for free, while also creating nutrient-rich plant food perfect for the garden or potted plants.

Sandie Johnston, one of the Sunshine Coast’s premier waste educators, takes you on a journey – from learning how to choose the right system and setting it up to maintenance and troubleshooting.

To help residents, council has produced instructional videos, compost, worm farms and everything in-between.

Read more about composting and worm farming in council’s organic waste fact sheet

Article courtesy of Sunshine Coast Council

YCG will be hosting a workshop with Sandie Johnston, who will assist you to turn waste into a resource by working with nature in your own backyard. Organics make up more than 50% of our waste on the Sunshine Coast and this workshop will show you just how easy it is to recycle with composting, worm farming and everything in between.

Sandie Johnston is the Sunshine Coast Council’s Waste 2 Resource Education Coordinator and she will give troubleshooting tips and advice on creating an efficient, hassle free system to recycle your organic waste. This workshop is great for all types of keen gardeners, so whether you’re new to the composting game or maybe struggling with your system come along and get the answers.

Click here to book