County or University Extension Center horticultur-
ists will provide answers to problems or questions.
University Extension Master Composters will help
solve problems. All of the above will speak to
groups, schools, or organizations, and some
conduct workshops regularly. All provide detailed
literature on request. Call City Public Works
Departments to learn what they plan or are doing
to help deal with yard wastes.
The Compqster Project is a traveling composting
demonstration unit available to do presentations
to all age groups and to attend events, meetings,
fairs or schools. Call 1-816-756-5686 or 1-816-
931-0742.
Developed by
EPA Region VH
Waste Management Division
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas CRy, KB 66101
Phone 1-91*551-7055 .
Toll-free 1-80Q-22M425 a:^;
Professional Lawn Care Association
of Mid-America
Dennis Magnello, University of Missouri
Extension Horticulturist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
April 1992
Region 7 '
THERE l§ NOQlfiCK FtKFOR OUR WASTE
D1LEWIA, BiJT WE AIL CONTRIBUTE TO
THE PROBLEM. WORKI&& TOGETHER,
- WE CAMHELP SOLVE IT!
GOOD NEWS! LAWN CARE PROFESSIONALS
TURF SPECIALISTS AND HORTICULTURIST!
AGREE:
"GRASSGYGLING" can produce a healthy, deep
rooted, vigorous lawn and help to:
•reeycte valuable nutrients to the soil;
• reduce watering requirements;
tSsave 7 hours per season of yard work;
tS reduce need for pesticides;
t/use less fertilizer;
•protect against thatch buildup;
sf encourage beneficial organisms to keep soil
healthy and naturally aerated;
v* reduce methane gas formation In landfills, an
leachaie to pollute water.
Making your own valuable compost from leaves an
green plant material can solve most of the yard wasi
problem.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
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Simply let short grass clippings drop to the soil
instead of raking or bagging. GRASSCYCLING
saves time ana energy and recycles nutrients
back to the lawn.
The average householder can save 25 to 30
minutes with each mowing and produce a better
lawn by following these expert tips:
Q Use low rates of fertil iz:er in the spring and early
summer, with higher rates applied twice in the fall.
Slow-release fertilizers are best, particularly in the
spring and sumrfier.
Q Keep mower set high. Bluegrass, ryegrassand
fescue should be cut at 3 to 4 inches; zoysia at 2-
1/2 to 3 inches. Mow frequently. Never remove
more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. Sea-
sonal growth rates require a 5 to 10 day mowing
cycle.
Q Keep mower blades sharp.
Q Use pesticides only as needed, and then only
according to label directions, or use common al-
ternatives.
Q If you are using a professional lawn care serv-
ice, askthemnotto bag your grass (mostservices
prefer to grasscycle).
Q Remember, a quality lawn requires proper
mowing, watering, fertilizing and core aeration.
Thateh and Clippings
stolonsand rhizomes. Properlydone, GRASSCY-
CLING can decrease thatch by encouraging a
healthier population of earthworms and other
beneficial organisms.
Most mowers can be used for GRASSCYCLING
by removing the bag. (CAUTION: the opening
should be securely blocked to prevent material?
from being thrown out!) Others may require an at
tachment available from the dealer. Mowers tha
can switch from mulching to bagging have advan
tages over mulch only or bag only models. Mulch
ing blade kits can also be purchased at a reason
able cost.
Grass clippings treated with herbicides should b<
composted several weeks before use as garder
mulch. Composting decomposes pesticide;
quickly.
What is it? Mulch is organic matter such as leaves
wood chips or yard wastes that is spread on thi
soil surface. It keeps soil temperature more even
protects from soil erosion, conserves moisture
and slowly breaks down to become compos)
Mulch provides ideal conditions for earthworm!
and beneficial microorganisms necessary for so
health.
On paths, thickwood chips, bark or other materis
will keep down weeds and provide good walk
ways. Thick layers of mulch arouna trees am
bushes or other woody plants to the drip lim
conserve moisture and provide protection. Flow
ers and vegetables are best mulched with leave:
in thick layers. These can be turned under ii
annual beds when the bed is cultivated in the fal
Leaf Mulching
Most leaves can be mulch-mowed by cross mowini
over them. This breaks much of the leaf structur
down, allowing it to join the grass clippings at th
soil line, protecting, adding humus, and returns
nutrients to soil. GRASSCYCLING and mulct-
mowing leaves can answer the greatest part c
- yard waste concerns. -
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Composting is a natural way of returning nutrients
and humus to the soil through the biotogical action
of microorganisms - bacteria and fungi - thatdigest
organic materials, breaking them down into hu-
mus and releasing nutrients.
sting yard waste a! home provides a free
source of valuable, fertilizer and soil conditioner
and saves landfill space.
Grass, leaves, dead plant matter and woody prun-
ings and garden debris may be composted.
amounts of
Choose a
sun and shade.
Choose a composting unit: 10 feet (1/5 or 1/4 of
a roll) of chicken wire, snowfence, or otherfencing
that can be secured into a cylindrical pen. (Share
a roll with friends or neighbors.)
No enclosure is needed if space is not a concern.
A bin may be fashioned of wood or old pallets, so
it can be opened at one side, or turning units can
be constructed with bins adjacent to each other.
MOTE: Aeration Is ntetssaiy for rapid odor-fre© de-
composition; therefore, It's advantageous to construct
bint with material that allows a constant air flow.
Forfastcompost-readyinafewweeks-mixabout
three parts of leaves with one part manure or
grass.and add a small amount of soil for "starter."
Add enough water to keep the mix as moist as a
damp sponge (so a couple of drops can be
squeezed out of a handful).
NOTE: Leaves alone will compost very slowly without
a nitrogen source such as grass or manure, but with
correct moisture and a little soil, they will decompose
enough te be used as mulch in a few weeks.
In adding plants, cuttings, prunings or woody
waste, material should be choppecfor shredded
as m uch as possible. Such materials will compost
more slowly (see Woody Wastes).
Decomposing creates heat. Temperature on the
interior of a unit about 3X3X3 will rise to 130
degrees or more in as little as three or four days.
When it drops, the pile may be turned, so the outer
layer is on the inside. With the fence enclosure
unit, the easy way is to unfasten or simply lift the
cage off, set it up. again alongside the heap, and
move the material back into the cage by the
garden forkful, fluffing it to achieve maximum
aeration, and checking for moisture level.
If more leaves or plant debris are available, they
can be incorporated at this stage.
Noticeable odor is almost always caused by too
much moisture, too little air, or too much grass in
comparison to leaves or other carbon sources.
Compost is ready when ingredients have broken
down into fine particles, unrecognizable as leaves
or plant matter. It can be mixed with garden soil at
a rate of about one pound per square foot.
NOTE: Kitchen scraps and food wastes (except for
vegetabletrimmlngs)shouldnotbe composted In back-
pests. Some community ordinances prohibit food
wastes In composting.
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In addition to composting and grasscycling, there
are other things homeowners can do to improve
the beauty and usefulness of their landscapes
while reducing energy and water consumption.
Plant native or locally adapted trees, shrubs and
ground covers. Wildflowers and native grasses
can be used to beautify hard- to- maintain hillsides
and ditches. Plant trees that provide shade for
your home and lawn during the hottest part of the
day.
. Information and advice on related subjects is
available at public libraries or from County or
University extension horticulturists.
Professional services and other private enter-
prises are already offering choices to fill the needs
of those who wish not to deal with yard wastes
themselves. Most lawn-care services recommend
and offer "GRASSCYCLING." Some offer on-site
composting services as well. Others offer yard
waste collection for a fee and take the materials to
large-scale composting sites or deliver it to farms
for land spreading ana tilling-in.
The following chart is a guide to more efficient
composting:
GRASSGYCLING AND COMPOSTING provide
.relatively easy answers to yard waste disposal
problems, but woody, brushy wastes from tree
trimmings and other sources may challenge the
imagination. ;
Some businesses are providing chipping or shred-
ding services to households. Others wilfdo collec-
tion of woody wastes seasonally or occasionally.
Shredders are available from tool and equipment
rentals.
Neighborhood associations or groups of neigh-
bors or friends may buy good quality chippers
cooperatively, or rent suitable equipment for a
weekend, sharing the cost.
;SYiPTOi PROBLEM SOLUTION
The compost
has a bad
odor.
The center of
the pile is
dry.
The compost
is damp and
warm In the
middle but no
where else.
The heap Is
damp and
sweet-smell-
ing, but sail
will not heat
up.
Not enough
air.
Not enough
water.
Too entail. ,
Lack of
nitrogen.
Turn It.
Moisten
materials
while turning
the pile.
Collect mere
material and
mix In the old
ingredient!
Mix In a nitro-
gen source Ilk®-
grass, manure,
blood meal or
ammonium
sutfate.
Yard waste takes up 20% of scarce and expensive
landfill space and, under anaerobic conditions,
contaminates groundwater and forms methane.
Moveover, thousands of tons of topsoil pour daily
out the mouth of the Mississippi. We can no longer
afford to send valuable organic materials to landfills
when we need them to.nejp restore humus and
nutrients to the earth to rebuild soil/ " '
For these reasons, states across the country have
banned, or are considering banning yard wastes
from landfills.
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