What to do with yard waste?

It may take extra work, but you can have your own compost by collecting all your yard waste for free. During these dry periods, compost serves many purposes as a soil amendment and mulch. It recycles nutrients back into the landscape and saves on space for the landfill. Think about all the things you take to the dump. Straw, grass clippings, leaves, vegetables, as well as flower plant parts, can be added to the compost pile along with a small amount of pruning from woody plants.

Each compost pile needs to be designed with alternating layers of different types of plant materials to be most effective. Make the layers 6-8 inches thick with either dried or green plant material. It is not necessary to add soil to any of the layers. The microorganisms that are responsible for decomposing the material are present on leaves and stems of the plants.

However, adding water to every layer or every few layers is beneficial, especially with our recent dry summers. As another important key to a successful compost pile, be sure to keep the pile in equal parts of green and dry material. This will give a good balance of nitrogen throughout the pile. Adding nitrogen is only necessary if you do not add any green plant material. Blood meal is a recommended source of nitrogen.

As for inoculums or compost starters, again it is not necessary. The microorganisms are already present on the plant material and are quick to begin multiplying in great numbers. When adding any of the material to the compost pile, break everything into smaller pieces from about a half inch to 1 1/2 inches for more effective decomposition. Larger pieces will take longer to decompose, and smaller pieces will not allow the appropriate aeration to take place.

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