Register by March 31

 Bridgewater - The Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Somerset County will be holding backyard-composting workshops for Somerset County residents on Wednesday, April 6, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The workshops will be held at the Somerset County 4-H Center located at 310 Milltown Road.  The $50 registration fee includes the workshop, a compost bin and literature.  Registration is requested by Thursday, March 31.

Participants will learn how to compost kitchen and yard debris into a "black gold" organic material for use in the yard and garden and for houseplants.

The program also will include a brief presentation, titled "Cut It & Leave It," and other environmentally friendly lawn-care strategies.

Composting reduces the amount of discarded garbage, acts as a natural fertilizer by returning nutrients to the soil, improves soil aeration and reduces soil diseases. It also helps to conserve the Earth's resources.