Compost happens: But you can help
Question: The leaves are already starting to turn yellow and fall from my ash and walnut trees. Is this a good time to start a compost pile? What else should I add to the pile? Would lime help it turn to compost faster?
Answer: Ash, walnut, honeylocust and tulip tree (tulip poplar) are some of the first to turn yellow and drop their leaves in the fall.
Do NOT add the walnut leaves, bark, husks, shells, twigs, etc. from your tree to the compost pile, since they contain a harmful substance called juglone.
Do NOT add lime to the compost pile, unless you know from a soil test that your soil pH is too low (not common in northern Kentucky gardens). Also, do not include any meat or dairy products in the compost pile, since those may attract animals.
Compost is an excellent addition to improve both clay and sandy soils. When you compost leaves, other yard debris and kitchen waste, a microbial process converts these items into a more usable organic amendment. You can use finished compost to improve soil structure in gardens and landscape beds. Compost also helps the soil hold nutrients and reduces erosion and water runoff. You can even use finished compost as a mulch to help reduce weed problems, moderate soil temperatures and conserve soil moisture around plants.
As the fall season progresses, many folks obtain large amounts of leaves and other yard wastes that need to be removed from their property. Uncontrolled “composting” occurs on its own in nature, but by managing the process in a compost pile, you can help it happen a lot quicker! Controlled composting is a simple practice that is beneficial to the environment and at the same time allows property owners to get rid of their different yard wastes in an effective manner.
Composting yard and kitchen wastes also reduces the volume of material going into landfills. Yard and kitchen wastes comprise more than 20 percent of the waste generated each year in a landfill. By composting these wastes, you help reduce disposal costs and extend the usefulness of landfills. This increases the return on your tax dollars.
Weeds free of seed heads and residues like vines and pruned limbs make a good addition to a compost pile. When mowing your lawn, it is not necessary to remove grass clippings if you follow proper lawn management practices. However, if you decide to compost grass clippings, mix them with other materials like leaves or brush. They are a good source of “green” material, which is high in nitrogen to feed the beneficial micro-organisms that break down the organic materials into finished compost.
In order to speed up the composting process, build a pile or bin 3-5 feet tall, wide and deep. Be sure air can get to the sides of the pile. Put the pile directly on the ground, so earthworms and beneficials can come up into the pile from the soil. Don’t put the pile in a low, wet area. Sun or shade works for composting. Keep the pile moist but not soggy wet. Provide a good mixture of “brown” vs. “green” ingredients. The more often you turn the pile, the quicker the compost will be ready to use, since turning adds the oxygen the micro-organisms need to work.
You can compost many kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peelings and cores, faded flowers, coffee grounds, tea bags and crushed eggshells. However, avoid cooked foods, meat, bones, fat or dairy products because they attract animals.
Mike Klahr is Boone County extension agent for horticulture.
• Arboretum Autumn Affair: 6:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at St. Timothy Church, 10272 U.S. 42, Union. Live music, fancy food by the bite, live and silent auctions for rare and incredible plants, etc. Register at: www.bcarboretum.org/events
• Northern Kentucky Master Gardener Training Program: Starts Dec. 1, runs for 15 weeks, Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kenton County Extension Office. Call 859-356-3155 for details.