compost

A Toronto artist is celebrating Raccoon Appreciation Day with a portrait of a raccoon that used to visit her back door, apparently to check on a relocated compost bin. The image, turned into a print, is winning warm responses online, with the artist quipping that Toronto belongs to the raccoons and they merely let people live there.

A gardener in New England has finished clearing tomato beds for the season, adding everything to a compost pile that is now heating up strongly and reading 140F (60C). Only peppers, eggplant and okra remain to be cleared as the growing season winds down.

Cincinnati is distributing nearly $1 million to residents through its Seeds of Change program. The funding backs community gardens, composting efforts, solar installations, a bike repair program and other grassroots projects aimed at fighting climate change at the neighbourhood level. Supporters say the initiative shows how cities can empower residents to cut emissions and build greener communities directly.

Gardening segments on local US stations are showing how to use hollowed-out pumpkins as seasonal planters. The idea is to carve out a pumpkin, place a potted plant or soil inside, and display it as a natural autumn container that can later be composted. It is a typical seasonal gardening tip making the rounds as fall decorations go up.

Gardeners are being urged to turn fallen autumn leaves into compost rather than discard them. The guidance explains how shredded leaves can be composted into rich, healthy soil that improves garden beds over winter. As leaf season peaks, homeowners are looking for practical, low-cost ways to handle yard waste and boost their gardens naturally.

Country Living Magazine is telling readers to hold off on recycling cardboard boxes and put them to work in the garden instead. The tip plays on cardboard's popularity as a weed barrier, compost ingredient and sheet-mulching material, offering a low-cost way to reuse packaging while boosting soil health ahead of the growing season.

A composting initiative in Cincinnati is being highlighted in climate-focused coverage. The program encourages residents to divert food scraps and organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions and supporting city sustainability goals. It has been picked up as an example of how mid-sized American cities are addressing waste and climate change through local programs.

A short film titled 'La nuit au composteur' shows the animals that visit a garden compost heap after dark: rats, a hedgehog named Riton, a cat called Maurice and a moth, all set to Ray Charles music. Viewers are sharing it warmly, charmed by the glimpse of ordinary garden creatures at night and by the playful naming of the animal cast.

A gardener on Mastodon reports completing the first section of a DIY project involving a large bin, roughly 40 gallons, which is now about a quarter full. The post is tagged with poolpond, greenhouse, apple and gardening, suggesting the bin is part of a backyard water or compost setup tied to a greenhouse and apple harvest.

A gardener reports the yield from three buckets in their front yard, noting the summer's weather left them fairly satisfied with the harvest. Numerous specimens around 2x8 millimetres went straight onto the compost. The post is drawing small engagement from fellow gardening enthusiasts discussing container growing and seasonal results.

Gardeners are being reminded that autumn is the key season to prepare beds for a strong spring. Practical steps such as clearing debris, adding compost, mulching, and planting cover crops or spring bulbs can improve soil health and reduce pests and weeds come spring. Gardening outlets are sharing these seasonal checklists as cooler weather sets in.

OregonLive highlights a slate of October gardening events in Oregon, including bonsai workshops, composting classes and tours showcasing fall foliage color. The roundup points gardeners to hands-on seasonal activities as autumn sets in, covering opportunities to learn bonsai care, improve home composting and view peak fall color at local gardens and related venues across the region.

From 21 to 26 September, the compost.cc project took part in the Unplugged? art and technology residency organized by Marginal in Bucharest. The team presented their project to a new group of artists and technologists, connected with the local creative community, and expanded their network during the week-long residency.