Composting
 Composting is the most practical and convenient way to handle your yard wastes. It's a more convenient than taking waste to a transfer station and certainly cheaper than purchasing plastic bags or the brown recycle bags.
You return organic matter to the soil in your garden by using compost. The organic matter in your soil improves plant growth by helping to breakdown heavy clay soils (Maryland area). Compost is especially good in sandy soils found near the water. Healthier plants also help clean our air and conserve our soil.
There are many types of composting bins. You can spend a lot of money on a fancy bin  or make your own. The bin pictured above and to the right is one that I purchased for about $5 at our county extension service. It works great for me.
Use grass clippings, leaves, flowers, old plants, old potting soil, twigs, and annual weeds in your composting bin. Don't compost food scraps, weeds with seeds, invasive weeds or diseased plants in your yard compost bin. Non-woody yard wastes are the most appropriate to use.
Composting doesn't happen over night. So, you have to be patient. If you are using just a single bin, it can take over a year for the compost to be ready. Some gardeners prefer to use three bins and move the compost into the next bin when the temperatures are high. Chopping and shredding your garden wastes and alternating high-carbon and high-nitrogen materials will help. It is also important to keep up good moisture and aeration. So, you will need to make sure than it gets water and you will need to turn the pile. |
