Spread the word about composting!
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Solana Center for Environmental Innovation
137 N. El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 436-7986
info@solanacenter.org
www.solanacenter.org
Visit the Solana Composter Blog!
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Upcoming Workshops
All workshops are FREE
and open to the public
Click here to Pre-Register!
Encinitas Vermicomposting Workshop
Saturday, Feb. 21
10 - 12 noon
Quail Botanical Gardens
230 Quail Gardens Drive
Composting and Manure Management Workshop
Tuesday, Feb. 24
7 - 8 p.m.
Calif. Thoroughbred Farm Managers Assoc. Meeting
40651 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd.
Valley Center Composting Workshop
Thursday, Feb. 26
3 - 5 p.m.
Valley Center Farmer's Market
28751 Cole Grade Road
San Diego Composting Workshop
Saturday, Feb. 28
10 - 12 noon
TLC Community Giving Garden
11240 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
El Cajon Composting Consultations
Saturday, March 14
10 - 2 p.m.
Water Conservation Garden
12122 Cuyamaca College Dr. West
Stop by for a one on one consultation!
Click here for a full list of upcoming workshops!
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Master Composter Course Spring 2009
5 Wednesdays
March 18 - April 15
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
City of San Diego Environmental Services Building, Kearny Mesa
Click here more information!
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Stop by the Solana Center on
Tuesdays/Thursdays
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
137 N. El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
Buy compost bins, thermometers,
moisture meters, and books!
Subsidized bins available for Unincorporated County residents
and Encinitas residents.
Visit our website for more information.
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Cash or check only.
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Toast to Compost 2009
The Solana
Center held its Annual Toast to Compost on February 7th, 2009 at the San Diego Zoo. This event is held each year to honor our Master Composter volunteers and their immense contributions to the Solana Center Compost Program and the environment.
Seven Master Composters were presented the Vermi Award, a recognition for their extraordinary contributions to composting education. The event was highlighted by the keynote speech made by Dr. Wayne Williams, Program Coordinator for County of San Diego, who provided insight into local policy regarding composting.
Master Composters are a diverse group who share a
common love for the environment and work together on a grassroots level
to support organic waste diversion and resource conservation. Volunteer service ranges from maintaining demonstration sites, teaching children about composting at schools, conducting workshops, to providing compost information at
community events.
Become a Master Composter!
The next Master Composter Course will be at the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department's LEED certified green building at 9601 Ridgehaven Court, San Diego.
Five Wednesdays
March 18 - April 15
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Attendance at all classes is required. For more information or to apply click here. Sponsored by the City of San Diego. |
Have a composting question?
Ask the "Rotline"! Click here to email your question or call (760) 436-7986 ext. 222.
Be sure to check the Solana Composter Blog for the "Rotline" Question of the Week!
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Composting at the TLC Community Giving Garden
By Carol Morse
Master Composter
The TLC Community Giving Garden
was started at the TierrasantaLutheran Church in June 2008 and offers 63 plots for organic
gardening in the community of Tierrasanta in San Diego. The garden is a "giving garden"
which donates a portion of food grown to outreach organizations.
The
garden has individual plots, a communal area for sharing crops, a children's
garden, and is complete with a full circle composting program. Four compost bins
are used on-site to compost garden trimmings, shredded paper, coffee grounds and
food scraps. To reduce the strain on our landfill, weekly donations of food
scraps are picked up at Pizza Fusion in Hillcrest and the Earth Blend Coffee
Shop in Tierrasanta on our route to donate our vegetables to the TACO program in
downtown San
Diego. Finished compost is added to the plots for growing
fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The garden also invites children's groups for
tours and demonstrations.
The TLC Community
Giving Garden will be hosting a free composting
workshop on February 28th from 10 - 12 p.m. Click here for more information about this workshop.
For more information about the TLC Community
Giving Garden contact Carol Morse at tlcgivinggarden@gmail.com
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Does Compost Really Work?
By Chris Svolopoulos
Compost Program Intern
 On November 6th, one of Solana Center's compost beds was split into two equally sized plots using a layer of non-permeable aluminum foil. One plot was filled with local topsoil and clay dirt (control), while the other was filled with freshly completed compost from the Solana Center.
An equal number of radish seeds, lettuce seeds, and cilantro seeds were planted. Over the next two months, each plot was watered equally. In this time, staggered observations were made comparatively between each set of crops. Composted crops were noted to have germinated and sprouted earlier than their control counterparts. Compost sections also boasted more foliage via greater growth per seed.
Click here to read more. | |
Composting with Cover Crops
If you are planning on planting this spring, cover crops are a great way to prepare your soil. Cover crops not only help hold the nutrients of the soil but they also provide an abundance of green material. This material can be added to your compost or can be chopped or mowed and left directly on the soil to be used as a weed-suppressing mulch.
Leaves, stems, and roots from the cover crops provide your soil or compost with nutrients that boost your soil's fertility to reduce your fertilizer needs. In addition, cover crops assist your garden by hosting beneficial insects, preventing erosion, and suppressing weeds.
If one of your garden beds or rows is unoccupied for more than one month, you have an opportunity to grow a compost cover crop. Our Master Composter gardeners recommend buckwheat, alfalfa, and red clover. Cover crop seeds can be purchased at many local nurseries and online, including City Farmers Nursery in San Diego and www.groworganic.com.
Check out The Complete Compost Gardening Guide by Pleasant and Martin for more information.
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