04-11-1990 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

AG -FS -3899 1990 MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICE Backyard Composting Deborah Brown and Carl Rosen LJNIVERSITYO, MINNESOTA AGRICULTURE New laws that limit dumping leaves and clippings into public landfills have reawak- ened public interest in composting. Composting is a process that allows naturally occurring microbes to convert yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings, to a useful organic soil amendment or mulch. Gardeners have used compost for centuries to improve the physical condition of soil and to add some of the nutrients needed for plant growth. Incorporating compost into light, sandy soil helps it hold both moisture and nutrients, while adding it to heavy soil improves drainage. To produce compost efficiently from yard waste several conditions must be met. The micro- organisms responsible for decompo- sition need oxygen, water, and nitrogen. Particle size also affects efficiency. The smaller the plant pieces, the more rapidly they will break down. Use a shredder or power mower to chop up leaves and small twigs before adding them to the pile. * Composting Structures. To save space, keep your yard looking neat, and speed composting time, plan to contain your com- post in some type of structure. Typical dimensions of a compost pile are 5' x 5' x 5'. Simple bin type structures can be built from woven wire fencing and metal posts. More permanent and elaborate structures can be made from rot - resistant wood, wire, and metal posts. For a more detailed discussion of com- posting yard wastes, see Composting and Mulching: A Guide to Managing Organic Yard Wastes, AG -FO -3296, for sale at your local County Extension Office, or from the University of Minnesota's Extension Service Distribution Center, 3 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckies Ave., University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108. * Locating Your Compost Pile. Locate your compost pile close to where it will be used so it won't interfere with activities in the yard or offend neighbors. The pile will work best where it is somewhat protected from drying winds, yet receives partial sunlight to help heat it. * What Can be Composted'? Many or- ganic materials can be composted besides grass and leaves: non -woody shrub trim- mings or twigs less than 1/4 inch in diame= ter, faded flowers, weeds, left-over plants at the end of the gardening season, lake plants, straw, coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit and vegetable scraps, shredded newspaper (black and white print), small amounts of wood ash, and sawdust. Saw- dust requires the addition of extra nitrogen; wood ash raises compost alkalinity and may result in nitrogen loss from the pile. There should be little need to compost grass, since clippings may be safely left on the lawn if you mow regularly and remove only 1/3 of the blade length each time. If you do compost grass, mix it with other yard waste. Grass clippings, alone, pack down and restrict air flow which Ijmits the PAGE 87