MULCH
Every year Americans dispose of 24 million tons of
leaves and grass clippings - making up to almost 20% of landfill waste.
80%
of cypress trees cut down are ground into mulch.
You can make the difference
by recycling yard waste into compost and mulch. The average yard contains
enough waste from trees, shrubs, and grass to provide almost all of the
mulch you need.
 |
Create
self-mulching areas under trees where leaves can remain after they
fall. |
|
Recycle
pine needles, grass clippings, leaves and twigs into mulch. |
|
Supplement
with alternative and recycled mulches like Eucalyptus and Melaleuca
- do not use cypress mulch. |
|
Local
power and tree companies, and municipal solid waste departments are
great sources of free mulch. Just be sure not to use mulch from palms
or diseased trees. |
|
Place
grass clippings in your compost bin or scatter them in your plant
beds. |
|
Use
a mulching mower. |
|
To
control weeds and reduce water runoff, apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of
mulch around trees, shrubs, and plants. |
|
Do
not put plastic or fabric weed mats under mulch. |
|
Leave
several inches of space around plant stems and tree trunks. |
How much mulch
do I need?
If
your garden area is: |
You
will need this many 2 cubic foot bags: |
25
sq. ft. |
3
bags |
50
sq. ft. |
6
bags |
100
sq. ft. |
13
bags |
|
1
bag containing 2 cubic feet covers 8 square feet or a 2' x 4' area |
|
1
bale of pine straw covers 18 x 20 square feet |
|
1
cubic yard covers 108 square feet or a 9' x 12' area |
|
1
full-sized pickup holds about 2 1/2 yards and covers 270 square feet
or a 16' x 17' area |
COMPOSTING
Over
1/3 of your garbage is organic material, like fruit and vegetable scraps,
egg shells, tea bags, and coffee grounds, that can be turned into natural
fertilizer by composting.
You can make the difference
by composting organic home and garden waste, it:
|
is
simple, easy and saves landfill space; |
|
creates
natural humus that improves soil structure by making it light and
porous and good for beneficial insects like earthworms; |
|
replaces
synthetic fertilizers by returning basic elements and important minerals
to the soil; |
|
reduces
water pollution caused by fertilizer runoff and saves you money. |
How to Compost
| 1. |
Build
or purchase a compost bin. Compost bins can vary from simple chicken
wire enclosures to recycled plastic bins. A workable size is about
3 x 3 feet. |
| 2. |
Place
your compost bin in a warm sunny location. |
| 3. |
Loosen
the soil up and put down a layer of organic compost purchased from
your local nursery or home & garden store. |
| 4. |
Add
equal amounts of kitchen scraps, garden trimmings and grass clippings
(mix grass with coarse materials like small twigs to prevent compacting). |
| 5. |
Do
not put meat scraps, bones, fish, dairy, oils, cheese, plastics, metals,
glass, or pet waste in compost bin. |
| 6. |
To
decompose your pile needs air, water, and nitrogen. Add water every
couple of weeks in hot, dry weather, but keep a lid on the bin in
prolonged rainy weather to prevent nutrients from leaching out. Keep
contents moist like a rung-out sponge. |
| 7. |
Turn
the compost every couple of weeks to aerate it. |
| 8. |
Depending
on weather, compost is ready in as little as 6-8 weeks! |
For more information
on composting, read Backyard Composting by John Roulac. Harmonious
Press, 1992. ISBN 0-9629768-3-0
|
