Saskatoon compost experts deliver the 'dirt' in workshop

With the city of Saskatoon mulling over the idea of charging cash for trash, more people might be thinking about composting but don't sweat it, says one expert — keep it static.

Don Greer is one of city hall's compost coaches and this weekend he will be helping out at a workshop, selling people on the merits of static composting.

"It doesn't take any work," Greer told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.  "A static pile is a compost pile which you don't do anything with."

In fact, drop the word 'static' because what we are talking about here is just a regular, old compost pile you can find in many backyards and garden patches. The compost can be piled in a bin, or on the ground; it really doesn't matter, said Greer.

What matters is what goes into the pile.

"You need that green material: the kitchen scraps, the weeds out of the garden, the grass clippings," Greer said. 

"Then you need to mix that with your browns, so that's your dried leaves, your straw, newspapers, brown paper bags, that sort of thing."

Plus, he added, you need a touch of soil, water, and to make sure the pile gets oxygen. Then, you just wait for nature to take its course.  

Feel good about composting 

That said, Greer admitted that sometimes nature needs a little help and a discerning eye.

"Is it too dry? Then you would add water," he suggested. "Has it gone anaerobic? Then you would add some browns to it to give you the oxygen."

If you can't quite get the formula, you can always call one of the city's compost coaches and they'll help return your compost pile to optimum health.

Then, Greer said, you can sit back and feel good.

"We are helping to take care of the world and at the same time — we are stopping putting extra stuff into the garbage."

The workshop on composting happens this Saturday at the food bank's garden patch from 12:30 pm CST to 2:30 p.m.