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Monday - February 18, 2008
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Compost and Mulch
Title: Instructions for composting in southeast Texas
Answered by: Stephen Brueggerhoff and Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Do you ever offer composting classes? I live in Houston and would like to start composting in my backyard... are there any particular books you would recommend for composting in SE TX? Thank you!ANSWER:
While our workshop series focuses on basic horticultural knowledge, we have yet to tackle an entire class involved with composting; and, believe me, there is a science AND art to composting successfully. However, you should have the tools and resources close to home available to you. I recommend contacting your local Harris County Cooperative Extension agent's office. There is a strong presence of the Master Gardener's (a program supported by the Texas Cooperative Extension Agency) in your county, so definitely hook up with them.
We would also like to recommend a few Internet sites with information about composting:
1. The City of Austin has simple, straightforward instructions for getting started with composting.
2. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service also has a very informative site.
3. There is a very interesting discussion on composting by Journey to Forever.
4. Finally, if you want to know about The Science and Engineering of Composting, Cornell University has a thorough discussion.
For print sources, here are a couple of books recommended by members of our Mr. Smarty Plants group:
Secrets to Great Soil by Elizabeth Stell
Let it Rot! The Gardener's Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell
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