It’s not easy being green: How to use and care for your compost roll cart

Blog Post
Compost tips for the curb and the backyard.
Published

Yard work anyone? As the weather gets warmer, the longing to be outdoors goes along with it. There is plenty to do around the house, including making the most of your compost cart.

How to clean your green roll cart

A person putting a pizza box into a green compost cart

As with every chore, it’s either do it yourself, recruit a teenager, or pay someone else to cross off the task from your list. Get some supplies ready to wash your roll cart: With a little dish soap, a handled brush or old rags and the garden hose, you can make the cart sparkle with some elbow grease.

Please pour the dirty water onto grass or gravel, not down the storm drain.

Another approach to a clean roll cart: Contact your garbage and recycling company to arrange for them to deliver a clean cart for a $12.50 fee.

Here are some additional tips for maintaining a cleaner roll cart:

  • Line the bottom of your green cart with newspaper, a paper bag or a pizza delivery box to help absorb moisture.
  • Layer food scraps in between yard debris to reduce odors and to contain messier foods.
  • Sprinkle baking soda in your compost cart to reduce odors and deter insects.
  • Store your cart in the shade in warm weather.
  • Find videos and tips at www.portlandcomposts.com

Compost helps farmers and gardeners grow healthy food

A person putting food scraps in a green composting cart

One of the benefits of composting at the curb is that you are participating in a closed loop system: Your food scraps and yard waste become a nutrient-rich soil amendment and the finished product can be purchased for use in gardens, landscaping and agriculture. 

Reminder: Remove fruit and vegetable stickers before adding scraps to your kitchen compost container. These are plastic and won’t break down into compost. The same goes for plastic plant pot markers and plastic bags.

Backyard composting tips

For Portland residents who want to create their own compost, you can set up a home-based system to capture both scrap materials for your backyard pile—and still include the food for your green Portland Composts! roll cart.

When used as mulch, compost will reduce your need to water. Use it to enhance the soil, make a potting mixture, or mulch around plants and shrubs.

  • Toss yard debris and vegetable scraps in your backyard composter to get you started – and keep meat, grains, dairy and bones in your green curbside roll cart.
  • Find Metro’s great tips for backyard composting success.
  • Find resources, including how to make your own compost bin, purchase one at a local garden center or from Metro at reduced rates.