I’m A Leaf Thief And A Composting King
Anthony Tripodi
Every autumn, home owners rake up their leaves, place them in
bags and put them out on the curb. Every autumn I gas up my
mini-van, drive around my neighborhood and steal them. I’m a
skilled leaf thief and can usually fill the van two or three
times in a weekend. Unlike regular thieves, I don’t fence the
goods on the black market because the leaves are more valuable
to me and to my garden. Leaves are a great ingredient for
making compost and gardeners can’t get enough of them.
A person becomes a leaf thief because you can only produce so
much yard waste on your own. You rake up your leaves, mow your
lawn, clean up your flower and vegetable beds and it just isn’t
enough yard waste to make compost for a moderate sized garden.
Remember that after it’s decomposed it’ll be a lot smaller. So
when I see people throwing out this excellent garden resource I
have to take the law into my own hands.
Not only is compost a nutrient rich soil amendment but it’s
also a great soil enhancer. It can loosen up hard clay soil and
it’ll allow sandy soil to retain more water. Compost can be used
as a replacement for fertilizers and will also improve pH
balance and soil fertility. And all of this means that you will
have healthier plants and a nicer looking garden.
To make compost for the garden you’ll need to collect “Browns”
(carbon-rich) and “Greens” (nitrogen-rich). Fill your compost
bin with 1 part “Green” to about 20 parts “Brown”. With fallen
leaves being a great “Brown” a large supply is a necessity for
gardeners.
Without adding a source of nitrogen to your leaves you will get
something called leaf mold when it decomposes. Leaf mold is
still very good for your garden and can be used as a mulch. But
if you want to make real compost and enjoy the full benefits
that come with it then you’re going to have to add some
“Greens” to the mix. The grass clipping from your lawn mower
are a great source of nitrogen. Empty the lawn mower bag into
your compost bin whenever you mow the lawn. Another good source
of nitrogen is coffee grinds. Don’t worry if you only have a few
cups a day, you can get more grinds from your local coffee shop
or coffee chain store.
If you keep your compost pile moist and remember to turn it
here and there you should have usable compost by the time
spring comes.
If your neighbors aren’t smart enough to take advantage of
their yard waste and make compost with it then it’s up to you
to make sure these gifts from the trees don’t get wasted. Give
those leaves a home in your compost bin and eventually in your
garden. Your plants will thank you.
About The Author: Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of
WatchItRot.com - The Compost Guide. For more information about
Compost including ideas and equipment, visit
http://www.watchitrot.com
See Also:
All About Organic Gardening
Index of Gardens & Gardening
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