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April 16, 2009

Composting bins for sale this weekend

For the first time ever, Baltimore County will host a two-day truckload compost bin sale on Saturday and Sunday,  from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Saturday sale will be held in the parking lot of IKEA Baltimore in White Marsh, 8352 Honeygo Boulevard (across from White Marsh Town Center).

The Sunday sale will be held in the parking lot of Franklin High School in Reisterstown, 12000 Reisterstown Road.

Both sales are rain or shine. The bins, valued at $100, will be available for the low price of $35 including tax. There is no limit on the number of bins you may purchase at this event and they will be sold on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Both cash and checks are accepted (no credit or debit cards) and you do not need to be a Baltimore County resident to purchase a bin.

The bins come in two pieces and can fit in almost any vehicle. When assembled, the bins are 33 inches in diameter and 33 inches tall.

Composting is "nature's recycling program." Organic material (grass, leaves, bush trimmings, etc.) decompose into a rich soil enhancing material called humus. This material can be used to enrich the soil throughout your yard, reducing the need for fertilizer.

Composting your yard materials is much better for you and the environment than bagging them and placing them out for a collector to haul away. The average yard can produce more than 600 pounds of yard materials per year.

Though it is not necessary to use a commercial bin to compost, many people prefer the look of a bin compared to an open pile. Bins also provide additional benefits over open piles such as moisture retention and higher temperature.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 3:48 PM | | Comments (1)
Categories: Composting
        

Comments

Make your own compost bin by cutting the bottom off of a trash can and drilling holes around the can to let air in. It is a cheap and effecient way to compost.

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About Susan Reimer
Susan Reimer has spent 16 years writing about raising kids - among other topics - in her column for The Baltimore Sun. And every time son Joseph or daughter Jessie passed another milestone - driver's license, college, wedding or a move to a new military duty station - she has planted another garden. Now she will be writing about those gardens - and yours - here on Garden Variety.

Susan isn't an expert gardener, but she wasn't an expert mother, either. Both - the kids and the gardens - seem to be doing well in spite of her.

She lives in Annapolis with her husband, Gary Mihoces, who loves to cut his grass but has noticed that there seems to be less of it every time the kids pass another milestone.
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