Comox Strathcona Garden Education Centre
Comox Strathcona Waste Management encourages residents to compost their own food scraps in order to divert compostable waste from the landfill. We operate a garden education centre in Campbell River that offers demonstrations, workshops, samples and handouts about how to properly compost and have a healthy, pesticide-free garden.
COVID-19 Update: While the Garden Education Centre is normally open late April through to the fall, opening of the centre has been delayed until at least after May 24, 2021. This difficult decision was made after a thorough internal review of health and safety guidelines as they relate to the ongoing pandemic and latest provincial direction.
No new workshops, school programs or tours will be scheduled, and no drop-in visits to the centre will be permitted.
For more information, please see our public notice.
Hours of Operation
- While the Garden Education Centre is normally open late April through to the fall, opening of the centre has been delayed until at least after May 24, 2021.
School Tours
Nature is Our Teacher
Garden Educator Elaine Jansen invites teachers to bring their classes to the Centre for a fun, interactive outdoor field trip. This is a unique opportunity to see where their food comes from and how it grows. Please reserve ahead as spots can be booked a year in advance.
Composting – How to Get Started
It's important to start with a good compost bin. A commercially produced black composter will help keep out rodents and bears, reduce smells and help things break down faster. Don't add any cooked food, meat, bones, animal feces, fats or grease, invasive plants, charcoal ashes or dairy. Do review the handy guide below, which shows you how to create a successful compost pile that will break down quickly into a rich fertilizer.
Do | Don't |
|---|---|
Fruit and veggie scraps | Dairy products or eggs |
| Eggshells | Fats, oils, lard, or grease |
| Coffee grounds and filters | Meat or fish scraps (or bones) |
| Nut shells | Plants infested with insects or treated with pesticides |
| Tea bags | Animal waste or cat litter |
Pesticide-free leaves, grass, yard plant trimmings, and houseplants | Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides |
| Paper, shredded newspaper, and paper towel / toilet rolls | Invasive plants |
| Vacuum and dryer lint | |
| Fireplace ashes | |
| Hair and animal fur | |
| Sawdust, wood chips, hay, and straw |
Don't Forget to Deter Bears
- Use finished compost, leaves, grass or wood chips to cover up fruit or other food waste in your composter.
- Properly care for your compost by turning it and layering it appropriately to reduce odours.
Remember to report all poachers, polluters and problem wildlife by calling 1-877-952-7277.
For more information, visit the Wildsafebc website.