These articles are written to apply to the northeastern corner of Illinois. Problems and timing may not apply outside of this area.

Composting Yard Waste This Fall September 13, 2001 Advancing into fall, lots of plant waste begins to pile up. Spent garden plants, leaves from trees, and other dead plant material are plentiful. Backyard composting is a great way to deal with these materials and provides excellent material to improve soils for future plant growth. Backyard composting is not difficult. Keep in mind the essential ingredients of mixing the right plant material and maintaining both adequate oxygen and moisture. Follow a few simple rules and the compost project should be a success. Mixing green and brown plant materials together is the basic rule of composting. Green materials, such as grass clippings or fresh green plant parts, supply nitrogen. Fertilizer could also be used to supply nitrogen. Brown materials, such as dead leaves, are high in carbon. Mixing the two assures good conditions for microbes, which actually decompose the plant material. Smaller plant materials will decompose faster, so shredding them before putting in the bin is helpful. Moisture and air are required for the composting process, and too much or too little of either can cause problems. Compost materials should be about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. If kept too wet, compost piles become anaerobic and start to smell. If too dry, the pile "just sits there." Keeping the pile covered is one way to control moisture levels. Materials need to be placed in a bin of some type. Bins may be as simple as poultrywire cylinders held up with a few stakes or elaborate constructed wood and wire bin systems. A key consideration is having oxygen available to the compost materials inside the bin. Piles need to be a minimum of about three feet cubed to function well. Assure adequate air by designing a sturdy bin and turning the pile frequently. Turning helps mix the materials well and also is a good way to monitor progress of the bins. Tend to your compost pile often to keep the process moving. The finished compost product is worth the small amount of effort!

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