By Michelle Metcalf

Community Information Librarian

Master Gardener Gail Harrington will be at the Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL) at Cicero at 10:30 a.m. June 16 to present the program “Backyard Composting,” and to share tips on how to achieve success with composting in our own yards. But why bother with composting? Here are four good reasons:

1. You’ll grow healthier plants in compost

Compost fosters diverse life in soil, helps maintain moisture levels, improves your soil’s pH, and suppresses plant diseases, all of which support healthy plant growth. Healthy plants are less susceptible to damage from pests, weather, and other natural threats.

2. Composting yields nutrient-rich food

Compost is rich in nutrients, and plants grown in compost tend to have higher nutritional content than plants grown in industrial soil. If you believe the old adage “you are what you eat,” then this is good reason to compost.

3. It’s easy and can save you money

Composting is pretty simple to do as long as you understand what should and should not be composted, and it can reduce what you spend on fertilizers for your garden.

4. Composting is good for the environment

Food scraps represents a significant portion of all waste in landfills. When these materials break down they become powerful contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Even if these scraps are burned, incinerators release large amounts of greenhouse gasses as a byproduct of the process.

Reserve your seat for the “Backyard Composting” program by visiting nopl.org/events or calling (315) 699-2032.  Can’t make this event, but still interested in composting? NOPL has lots of great resources to help you get started. Stop into any NOPL location and ask a librarian. Happy composting!