Community Garden Compost Delivery
For community gardeners, compost is a valuable resource that improves soil health by adding vital nutrients to soil, supporting beneficial microorganisms, increasing the water retention of soil, and creating healthy, productive harvests. Compost is also an important part of the local food system because food scraps and other compostable materials are diverted from landfills and used as a key ingredient in producing nutrient-rich compost.
Even at community gardens that produce their own compost or practice other forms of soil health-building (like crop rotation and cover cropping), the need for high-quality, finished compost always exists. Food Well Alliance works with Soil3 to offer compost deliveries of up to 2-cubic yards to active community gardens located in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties. Community gardens can select a 'Combo' delivery, where they received 1 cubic yard of Soil3 Compost and 1 cubic yard of Soil3 Veggie Mix, which is a blend of compost and other beneficial organic soil inputs. Compost delivery requests for 2024 are now closed and will reopen in early 2025 for spring delivery.
Considerations for Community Garden Compost Delivery
Is my community garden eligible for a compost delivery from Food Well Alliance? This compost delivery resource is available for existing community gardens located in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties that involve at least 5 individual households consistently gardening and maintaining a community garden together.
How much compost can I request? Food Well Alliance will cover the cost of one delivery per community garden of 1 or 2 cubic yards of compost (your choice on the amount). New this year, community gardens can also select a 'Combo' delivery, where they can receive 1 cubic yard of Soil3 Compost and 1 cubic yard of Soil3 Veggie Mix–a blend of compost and other beneficial organic soil inputs. Visit the Soil3 website here to learn more about their compost products.
When should I request compost for my community garden? Compost requests can be made when you’re ready, but the sooner the better! To avoid the spring rush on compost and allow your community garden more freedom as to when you use your compost, we are pleased to work with Soil3 to offer delivery on a rolling basis over the winter and into the early spring. We recommend requesting the compost over the winter months so that you can have the compost onsite to use when you need it and so that you can begin incorporating the compost into your soil before spring planting.
How does delivery work? After you submit your request, you will be contacted via phone by a Soil3 team member to schedule and coordinate the delivery. In most cases, you will not have to be present at your garden for the delivery to occur. Soil3 delivers their products in convenient 1-cubic yard "Big Yellow Bags." Delivery timeframes vary, but your delivery will likely happen within 2-3 weeks of submitting your request.
Tell me more about the Soil3 Veggie Mix option! The Veggie Mix product from Soil3 is a cubic yard of compost blend that is 75% Soil3 organic compost and a 25% blend of fine, aged wood fibers and activated charcoal. Think of these additional inputs acting similar to peat or perlite inputs. These additional organic inputs help to condition soil structure and promote optimal moisture levels in your soil. This product can be used in any vegetable growing situation in your garden and might be especially ideal for filling new raised beds or containers for vegetable growing. You can read more about the Soil3 Veggie Mix here.
Do you have questions about these resources? Email info@foodwellalliance.org to get in touch.
