Sifting Compost

Sifting compost is one of the most satisfying things you can do in the RING Garden.  You start out with material that is mixed in size, taken from the bottom of the composter, and you end up with gorgeous, fine-grained organic soil ready to put on the flower beds.   Organic soil or humus helps promote plant growth and keeps our soil from being compacted.  This is how nature intended our kitchen waste, leaves and grass clippings to be naturally recycled.
 

Step 1.  Grab a sifter

There are 3 green plastic sifters nearby the composters, probably under the arbor.  Grab one.  They are about a foot square.

 

Step 2.  Scoop up some unsifted compost

At the bottom of the "doghouse" composters, located near the Seaman entrance, unsifted compost collects at the bottom of the composters and often spills out onto the ground in front.  Scoop some up - maybe enough for one scoop with 2 hands (maybe about 2-3 cups) and put it into the sifter.  If there are too many undecomposed leaves, it's not ready.

The cyclindrical composter to the right (above) is turned by rotating the entire bin on its axis.  There is a handle on the bin to help it swivel.  Remember that this needs water too. 


Step 3.  Grab an empty white bucket, put the sifter onto it.  The materials, below, are not the best example of  what to sift.  Most will end up back in the composter.   It would be best to scoop more of the dark, finer-grained material than this... (see above closest to the composter.)

Step 4.  Sift the compost

Curl your fingers a little and with a rapid side to side motion flexing at the wrist, gently push the material around with your fingertips.  Toss out any rocks, plastic, large twigs, etc.  What you end up with is the finer stuff going through the sifter into the white bucket.  This is the fastest way to do it.  Just shaking the sifter will take a long time.  When you have gotten all / most of the fine stuff into the white bucket, toss the larger materials (usually small twigs) back into the top of the composter and grab some more out the bottom.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  Repeat sifting.
 

5.  Spread the compost

When you are done or have a full bucket, look around the flower beds (usually nearest the path) for a place that's low (needs more soil) or where the soil looks particularly anemic, and spread the fresh compost out.  No need to till it in.
 

Thanks for helping out!!!

RING Garden