Educational Media Reviews Online

This informative film looks at various aspects of composting for gardens. It explains why composting is a good idea, both environmentally and financially. We see 3 different people explaining and going through the various stages of composting. They explain the steps involved and how to maintain compost. They show the viewer how compost is made out of old flowers, shrubs, mown grass, fruit peels, etc. They explain the correct amount of water to apply to get a good mixture of rich soil out of compost.

Americans produce 4 lbs. of garbage on average per day! This video makes a good case for composting and recycling to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. The use of compost on flowers, plants and shrubs is shown, including how to apply it as well as where on the plant to apply it. The financial advantage of using homemade compost instead of commercially produced fertilizers is pointed out. The video briefly covers how to set up worm boxes for added soil nutrients. The pros and cons of the different methods of composting – open pile, hoop bin, earth machine and biostack are listed. The end of the video covers problems that may occur during various stages of the composting process as well as viable solutions.

The only negative aspect was that the quality of the video was grainy. Other than that, the video provides excellent, easily understandable and practical tips for home composting. It would be a good acquisition for public libraries.