Several Cities to Host Compost Workshops
- Share via
If sending orange rinds, banana peels, grass clippings and brown leaves to a landfill weighs on your conscience, city and county officials would like to suggest an eco-friendly alternative: composting.
On Saturday, various cities will host composting workshops that will teach even the most novice gardener how to turn kitchen scraps into natural fertilizer. At some locations, residents will also have a chance to buy composting bins at dirt-cheap prices.
Composting not only reduces household waste by 20% to 40%, but it’s fun, said Kathleen Wiens, a management intern for the city of Thousand Oaks specializing in public works and environmental projects.
“You can take things like fruits and veggies and combine them with grass clippings and brown leaves and, in four to five months, have a good soil amendment,” Wiens said. “You don’t have to add fertilizer. That’s a very satisfying thing for gardeners.”
Saturday’s free home composting programs will take place in various cities.
* Thousand Oaks: 9 to 11 a.m. workshop at the Willow Bend picnic area of Conejo Creek North, 1379 E. Janss Road. Call 449-7283 for information.
* Ventura: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cornucopia Community Garden on Telephone Road between Johnson Drive and Ramelli Avenue. Call 652-4525 for information.
* Ojai Valley: 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden, 405 S. Ventura St. For information call: 640-2555, Ext. 105.
* Piru: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Piru Community Center, 802 Orchard St. For information, call 648-9226.
* Santa Susana Knolls-Box Canyon: 9 to 11 a.m, Santa Susana Park, 6503 Katherine Road. For information, call 648-9226.
In addition, three areas will have home composting bins for sale. The bins, which traditionally cost $69 retail, will be sold for $37, Wiens said. Those locations are:
* Thousand Oaks: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Conejo Creek Park South, Janss Road Park & Ride at the Moorpark Freeway. For information call 449-7283.
* Ventura: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave., parking lot F. For information, call 648-9226.
* Ojai: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ojai Valley Park & Ride on East Ojai Avenue across from Fox Street. For information, call 640-2555, Ext. 105.
