All About Compost
Learn how to make compost
Turn your food scraps and yard trimmings into a valuable soil amendment.
- Backyard composting works for food scraps and plant trimmings.
- Worm composting is for food scraps only.
- Find out how to build or buy a bin.
Green bin
Every city in Alameda County offers curbside pickup of food scraps and yard trimmings, which is then turned into compost at industrial facilities.
- Put food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plant trimmings in the green bin. Plastic, glass, and metal should never go in the green bin.
- Find out more about what can be composted in the green bin.
Using compost in the garden
Whether you make your own compost or buy it at the store, adding compost is a great way to create healthy soil.
- Compost can be added on top of garden beds, blended into potting mixes, and used as a liquid fertilizer. Get tips.
- Using compost improves soil quality, conserves water, and helps fight climate change.
- Are you looking to buy compost? Find vendors who provide bulk compost on our Lawn to Garden website.
Compost Pile Time-Lapse
Watch this time-lapse footage of a compost pile breaking down over four months.
Learn more about building healthy soil with this guide that provides tips to help you get started in your garden. It covers soil building strategies including composting, sheet mulching and cover cropping.