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What To Do With Yard Waste?
7/12/2008
Linda Langelo
Horticulture Program
Coordinator
Colorado State University Extension
Golden Plains
Area |
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Add compost, more compost, and more compost! 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.
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 to 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 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 one and a half inches for more effective decomposition. Larger
pieces will take longer to decompose and smaller pieces will not allow the
appropriate aeration to take place.
There are certain materials that
should never be added to the pile. Stay away from woody plant clippings from
junipers, pine, spruce and arborvitae. The resin that is found in these types
of woody plants helps to protect the plant from decomposition. It is also a
good idea not to place a large amount of plants treated with weed
killers.
Kitchen waste is acceptable only if there is no meat, bones,
grease, whole eggs or dairy added. These things are particularly attractive to
rodents and create odors. Kitchen waste should not overtake the majority of the
pile.
Lastly, do not add any fecal material from a dog or cat. These
animals carry diseases, which are transmittable to human beings. Toxoplasmosis
is a transmittable disease, which is an intestinal parasite in cats. If it gets
in the soil, it takes five days of 165 degree F to sterilize. The compost pile
may reach between 120 to 140 degrees F to kill other plant disease organisms,
but not toxoplasmosis.
Please reconsider adding raw manure to the
compost pile. Manures now contain new strains of E. coli. Manures are better
used in other ornamental landscape beds. If you are still willing to use
manures for the compost pile, it is wise to wait a full four months for the
pile to cure in order to kill the majority of the pathogens. Still, there can
be anywhere from 2 to 10 percent of these pathogens alive and well even after
the curing process.
Other unacceptable materials are black and white
newspaper or paper with color inks, lime and wood ashes. Use black and white
newspaper only if you need less than 10 percent dry material to be added to
your pile. The wood ashes and lime only increase the salt and alkalinity in our
Colorado soils.
Whatever structure you choose for composting process, it
must be at least thirty-six inches high, thirty-six inches wide and thirty-six
inches deep to build the minimum temperature requirement for effective
compost.
In addition, regular moisture and oxygen is necessary. Keep the
compost pile evenly moist. If you can take a handful of the plant material in
your hand and squeeze only a few drops from it, then you have sufficient
moisture content.
During our Colorado summers, a finished pile can take
up to two months and be half the size of the original pile. It is better to
start new piles separate from the original.
Be sure to test your garden
soil before adding compost and then every 3 to 4 years after adding
compost.
For additional information, visit your local extension office
for fact sheets on Composting Yard Waste and Eliminate Grass Clipping
Collection. |
Page Created and Maintained by: Perry D. Brewer, Area
Extension Agent (Technology Education/Youth)
7/17/2008 |
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