Homeowners Composting Guide
Homeowners Composting Guide
Homeowners Composting Guide
If the compost looks dark, crumbles in the hand, can be screened through a
1/2" screen, and has a pleasant odor, it is probably "cured." Age is not a good
indication of stability since the rate of decomposition is determined by
nutrient balance, mixing, moisture and aeration. Some composts from active
processes are more stable at one month than many stockpiles years old.
Aging a compost an additional six months even after it seems cured is a good
insurance policy.
Stable compost can be blended into soil mixes and is suitable for most
outdoor planting projects. It is typically mixed with other ingredients such as
peat moss, shredded bark, sand, or loamy topsoil when used as an outdoor
planter mix. Mixing ratios vary, but 10 percent compost is considered to be a
minimum, 30 percent optimum and 50 percent maximum in planting shrubs
and trees.
Stable and cured compost probably has its greatest value when roto-tilled
directly into the soil. One cubic yard of compost covers 108 square feet at
three inches, 216 square feet at two inches, and 324 square feet at one inch.
The rule of thumb is to spread compost no more than one third the depth of
the roto-tiller. A one inch layer of compost should be tilled in three inches, a
two inch layer tilled in 6 inches, and a 3 inch layer tilled in nine inches. Two or
more passes with the tiller helps blend the compost with the topsoil and
break up any clumps of material.
As we seek to find a home for yard waste, perhaps we need look no further
than our own back yard. Mulching, composting and soil improvement work
together to help solve the environmental problem of overfilling landfills while
simultaneously bringing life to the landscape.
Grass clippings
Leaves and small twigs
Flowers
Non-spreading weeds
Old plants/potting soil
Wood chips
Vegetable and fruit scraps
Coffee grounds (including the filter)
Tea leaves and tea bags
Eggshells
Mulching mowers have become quite popular in recent years and their new
features are proudly displayed by dealers. Advertising campaigns are helping
convert homeowners over to these new "zero discharge" mowers. Mulching
mowers are designed differently from conventional mowers with closed trap
doors. The first difference is, of course, the lack of a discharge point and a
catcher. The second is the horsepower rating, since mulching mowers require
more horsepower to cut and re-cut the grass. The special blade not only cuts,
it also acts as a vacuum and fan that circulates the clippings back to the
blade for additional pulverizing. The air pressure then forces the chopped
clippings downward into the lawn.
Mulching mowers require a lawn that is not overly wet and has not been left
too long between cuttings. The height of the grass should be somewhat
higher than the height of the blade. For the average lawn, if the grass is left at
2-inches following mowing, the grass would be cut when it reaches three
inches. While the new system takes some getting used to, user satisfaction is
running near 100 percent for those who have made the switch. The lawn must
be mowed more often than with conventional mowers, but the time actually
spent in the yard is less because there is no need to continually stop and
empty the catcher. Mulching mowers should be used every five to six days
instead of every week.
Cutting grass higher and with only one third the blade height is easier and
faster than cutting grass that has become overgrown. Fertilizing can be
decreased since grass clippings contain 4% nitrogen and act like a time
release fertilizer when they are returned regularly to the soil. Grass clippings
return to the soil to form organic humus that helps hold water while keeping
the soil loose and aerated.
When asked in a recent survey in Texas, many householders stated that the
main reason they bag their grass is to avoid generating thatch. While thatch is
a problem in many lawns, turf grass specialists have numerous studies that
show that grass clippings do not cause thatch to build up. Thatch is caused
by high-lignin stubble at the plant base derived from roots, rhizomes, crowns
and stolons that decompose slowly. The green clippings contain little if any,
lignin and decompose quickly. If anything, mulching green grass clippings can
actually help decompose thatch by supporting a healthy soil ecosystem. With
grass mulching, some lawns may need additional aeration and watering to
help soil organisms decompose the clippings properly, especially during dry
periods.
2. Mulching
What is mulch? Mulch is any organic material such as
wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, or compost that is
spread over the surface of the soil. Using mulch is a
simple way to recycle yard waste and improve your
garden.
What does mulch do? Mulch conserves water, keeps down weeds and keeps
soil temperatures from becoming too hot or too cold. Mulch also protects
sloping ground from soil erosion and stops compaction caused by driving rain
or foot traffic. In addition, mulch provides ideal conditions for earthworms and
other soil organisms which are necessary for healthy soil and plants. When
mulches break down, they become humus that feeds the soil. A good mulch
will do all this and be readily available, free, easy to apply and will stay in
place without much effort.
Some general rules for mulching: Annuals and perennials (both flowers and
vegetables) should be mulched with materials that break down in a relatively
short time, such as grass clippings and leaves. This allows you to turn under
the mulch on annual beds when the soil is dug.
Trees and shrubs should be mulched with an attractive thick layer of wood
chips that requires little maintenance. Paths can also be covered with wood
chips, in layers as thick as is practical to wear longer and keep down weeds.
Some experts recommend placing a layer of plastic or cardboard underneath
the mulch.
Mulch material and their uses: Grass clippings can be spread regularly in thin
layers over vegetable and flower beds, or mixed with leaves and spread in a
thicker layer. Spread grass clippings no more than 1-inch thick so that they
don't mat and prevent water from penetrating into the soil. Leaves of
deciduous trees can be spread as mulch in the fall. Evergreen leaves can also
be used, but they take longer to turn a dark color and decay. Sawdust and
other finely-ground woody materials can be used on the surface, but should
not be mixed into the soil. These finely ground materials that have not been
composted may tie up nitrogen in your soil, causing your plantings to become
yellow and stunted.
Applying mulch materials: Weed the area to be mulched before applying the
mulch. For best results, mulch can be spread around any plant as far as the
distance of its outermost branching (this is called the drip line ), or it can
cover an entire garden bed. Mulch can be spread thickly if water is able to
penetrate and if it does not smother the roots of the plant being mulched.
Three inches of mulch is safe for any woody plant and up to eight inches of
mulch can be used for large trees. Thick mulches are harmful to shallow-
rooted plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas.
Where to find mulch materials? The best place to look for mulch materials is in
your own yard. Every yard has grass, leaves, other green materials that can
be made into mulch. If you can use wood chips, try contacting a tree service
or landscaper listed in The Yellow Pages. If they are working in your area,
they are often happy to deliver woody wastes and avoid extra travel and
dumping expenses. Some wood shops and coffee roasters make their organic
byproducts available to customers and the general public.
Tools for mulch-making: A rotary mower run across dry leaves will make a
fine-textured mulch for annuals and smaller plants. A small electric chipper
will make a fine-textured mulch of woody stalks and branches up to 11/4
inches thick. Gas-powered shredders of 5 to 8 horsepower capable of
processing materials up to 3-inches in diameter can be rented or purchased.
Large gas-powered chippers able to handle woody-wastes up to 6-inches in
diameter are available at rental shops. In general, the larger the machine, the
faster the mulch-making.
Where to find mulch-making tools? Look under "Rental Service Stores" and
"Yards" in The Yellow Pages and find tool rental locations nearest you. Call
ahead, because not all tool rental stores carry chippers and shredders. Let
them know the type of material you want to turn into mulch and find out if
their machine can do the job. Shredders and chippers are also sold at lawn
and garden equipment stores listed in the Yellow Pages.
3. Composting
Passive composting bins - Simple containers or
open piles for yard wastes are the least labor and
time-consuming way to compost.
Active composting bins - This is a series of three or more bins that allows
wastes to be turned on a regular schedule. Turning units are most appropriate
for gardeners with a large volume of yard waste and the desire to make a
high-quality compost.
Troubleshooting
The following chart is a guide to more efficient composting using a turning
unit.
Essentials of composting
With these principles in mind, everyone can make excellent use of their
organic yard waste.
Biology
The compost pile is really a teeming microbial farm. Bacteria start the process
of decaying organic matter, breaking down plant tissue. They are also the
most numerous and effective composters. Fungi and protozoans soon join the
bacteria and, somewhat later in the cycle, centipedes, millipedes, beetles and
earthworms do their part.
Surface area
The more surface area the microorganisms have to work on, the faster the
materials will decompose. It's like a block of ice in the sun - slow to melt when
it's large, but melting very quickly when broken into smaller pieces. Chopping
your garden wastes with a shovel or machete, or running them through a
shredding machine or lawn mower, will speed the composting process.
Materials
Anything growing in your yard is potential food for these tiny decomposers.
Carbon an nitrogen, from the cells of dead plants and dead microbes, fuel
their activity. The microorganisms use the carbon in leaves or woodier wastes
as an energy source. Nitrogen provides the microbes with the raw element of
proteins to build their bodies.
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