It’s that time of year when autumn leaves begin to fall and collect in our yards. Composting is a great way to clean up the yard, while also creating nutrient-rich soil for a healthy garden. Adding comps to your flowerbeds and garden keeps soil fertile and productive while reducing the amount of yard waste that ends up in landfills. Here are a few tips to help create soil for autumn’s beauty.
Choose the right varieties of leaves. Birch, maple, ash, cherry, beech, and any leaves from fruit and nut trees work the best for composting as they decompose quickly and are balanced in the nutrients that they give to a compost pile. Tough, waxy leaves from trees such as magnolia and ginkgo can take years to break down and are best left out of the compost pile.
Shred leaves before adding to the compost pile. Shredded leaves break down quickly in a compost pile while whole leaves take a very long time to decompose. Shredding creates smaller pieces to compost which causes the leaves to deteriorate faster, benefiting your compost pile greatly. Be sure to make the pile high because the leaves will provide insulation during the winter months.
Include a source of nitrogen to aid the compost pile. Leaves break down faster if the compost pile includes a source of nitrogen. Nitrogen warms up the pile and helps with breaking down dry materials like leaves. A good compost pile is made up of 4 parts of “brown” materials, and 1 part “green” materials. Dry materials are leaves. Green materials include fresh vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, fresh green grass clippings, and manure.
Water the compost pile. A compost pile needs oxygen and water to flourish. This is achieved by turning and watering the pile on a regular basis. The process brings oxygen into the center of the pile and keeps the break-down process strong. Compost piles need to be turned a few times each week for the best results.
Store your compost pile correctly. You can create a compost bin, use a tumbler, or create a maintained pile to store your compost. If you choose to create a pile, make sure to find a place that receives partial sunlight. Too much sunlight will make the pile dry and prevent decay. It is also important to pick a spot that has good drainage and to not place a compost pile near concrete, cement, or asphalt.
Moisture & cold control is essential. Moisture control is necessary in regions that receive a lot of rain or snow. Excess water soaks into the ground and is taken on by the compost, which hinders the pile’s ability to maintain proper oxygen levels. This issue is harder to prevent with a ground dwelling compost pile. One solution is a compost tumbler which is sealed to stop rain and snow melt absorption. Another solution is composting with a bin, as this method also prevents ground water absorption. For winter composting, move compost bins to a sunnier part of the yard if possible. You can also use layers of leaves, straw, cardboard, or sawdust to help insulate and keep warmth in the pile to prevent microbes from freezing.