Frequently Asked Questions

How can we help?

Why HUGS?

HUGS was based on the premise of homeland urban gardening systems (HUGS) and was created to educate and encourage more Northern Colorado homeowners to actively participate in waste reduction and urban gardening with tools such as volunteer and learning opportunities, composting coaching and services, and more! We literally love soil and know it’s the basis for all human life, and working to protect and enrich it is one of the many ways we can work together to better our planet.

What is Composting?

Instead of throwing away your organic material like leaves, grass clippings, and vegetable scraps, continue its life cycle and harness it for additional good through a process known as composting. Composting is a natural process of recycling organic material over time in a composting bin, resulting in a rich soil conditioner that can then be used to fertilize and improve the quality and viability of your existing soil. Composting has been found to have many positive benefits, including enhancing your garden’s ability to produce healthier plants, while reducing your household’s overall waste.

What other services does HUGS offer?

While composting is one of our many passions, the HUGS team feels strongly about holistic garden health and doing everything in our power to reduce waste, grow food locally, and promote healthy growing practices. To do this, we offer many services to help homeowners compost and improve garden outcomes, including composting coaching, composting services, and producing locally grown produce. We offer subscription composting services in which we will come manage your compost pile for you on a bi-weekly basis or simply come once for a consultation session help you get set up to compost well.

Does composting help my garden?

Yes, absolutely! Compost has been proven to improve soil quality by improving the structure and texture of the soil, allowing it to better retain nutrients, moisture, and air to give growing plants the best conditions to thrive. The soil in Colorado is especially arid and generally thick with clay, making it harder for plant roots to penetrate deep into the soil to grow. With the continual addition of compost over time, the soils tilth will be much improved and therefore the plants become more productive.

Should I consider composting for my garden?

Generally speaking, if you own a home and have some amount of land space, we absolutely recommend composting to all. Composting is not as hard to incorporate as you may think, and it will help reduce your organic matter waste and improve your garden, lawn, shrubs and trees. It’s an easy way to make a big difference in your personal environment and the world environment, and HUGS is here to help!

How long does the installation and composting process take?

When you work with HUGS, we will get your compost pile up in running in as little as a couple days. We build your system right on site, per the needs of your operation. This includes installing your compost unit and teaching you the basics. To get composted soil through the process, it can take several weeks depending on the matter, the time of year, and size of the bin.

Will the compost pile smell bad?

Despite popular belief, properly balanced compost piles do not smell bad; instead, they smell like forest floor after it rains. If your unit is rather stinky, it is not heating up properly and it’s unable to breakdown the matter. So rest assured, your compost pile should not stink!

Where will the compost pile be located and how big will it be?

When HUGS designs your compost unit, we’ll take your yard size, needs, and composting materials into consideration to decide how big the unit should be. We’ll get your input where you’d like the unit to be located and we’ll work with you to determine the best plan for managing your compost pile.

“Ultimately, the only wealth that can sustain any community, economy or nation is derived from the photosynthetic process – green plants growing on regenerating soil”
– Allan Savory