Linus and his Blue Blanket

Every autumn when the leaves fall I feel like Linus dragging around my blue tarp picking up piles of leaves from our yard. Gone are the days, many years ago, when I used a wheelbarrow, bending over time after time scooping up leaves, placing them in the wheelbarrow and hauling them off to my compost pile. Then in the 70’s I got a “Gardenway Cart”, tipping it forward, pushing as many leaves into it as I could, tipping it back up and off to the compost pile. It was then that I realized that a tarp or old sheet made the job much quicker and easier on the back.

 

To make a game of it and make it even easier on your back (we would lay the tarp or sheet on the ground next to the pile of leaves) you can, by yourself or with helpers, play “Charlie Chaplin”. By standing on the other side of the pile, opposite the tarp and taking a stance like Charlie Chaplin, legs stiff, heels together, toes out at close to a 180 degree angle (don’t fall over) you waddle forward through the pile of leaves moving masses of leaves onto the tarp. After a number of passes, you’ll be amazed at the amount of leaves on the tarp you can then rake the small number of remaining leaves onto the tarp.

 

Another fun part of this journey is moving the leaves (at first try using an old sheet with less leaves until you find the amount or weight that works best for you). Grab each of the four corners of the tarp; twist the corners in a circular motion until about 12 inches of the ends are twisted together. Keep hold of the corners with one hand and slip your other arm (the stronger arm) through the opening in the tarp just beyond the twist, up to your elbow. Keep one hand on the corners to keep the tarp from untwisting and use the other arm to pull the tarp. You’ll be surprised at the ease in which the tarp will glide across the lawn, up and down small hill and dale. When you reach your final destination, simply let go of the four corners so that they untwist, let one side of the tarp open up next to your final location and pull on the other two corners of the tarp to roll the leaves over onto their pile. Try different variations on the theme until you find what works for you.

 

Once you’ve finished collecting the leaves they can be used in one of two ways: by building a home compost pile or by shredding and mulching with them. In addition to leaves, practically any plant material can be composted for garden use. Leaves, grass clippings, old sod, manure, fine wood chips, straw, old hay, plant residues from the vegetable garden, and even garbage from the kitchen can be used. Newspapers can be composted, too, provided they are finely shredded and mixed with other compost materials.

 

Although theoretically your compost pile will generate enough heat to kill disease organisms, it is best not to use diseased plants form the garden for composting. Some disease organisms can survive for 7 to 12 years and may cause problems in the future when the compost is used. Weeds heavily laden with seeds should also be avoided for composting.

 

Most garbage can be used in the compost pile, but grease, fat, bones, fish and meat scraps should not be used because these materials attract animals. In addition fats are slow to break down, thus greatly increasing the amount of time before the compost pile is ready for use. Waste material from pets, such as cats and dogs, should be avoided, too.

 

Finished compost or “black gold”, as I like to call it, can be used to improve the soil structure in vegetable, flower and landscape plantings. It improves the soil by binding soil particles together; increases the soil’s water-holding capacity; and makes nitrogen and other nutrients more readily available to plants for growth.

 

To provide optimum conditions for soil organisms to break down organic matter, the composting material should be kept moist, have oxygen and be supplied with materials high in nitrogen. The nitrogen furnishes the nutrients required by soil organisms (bacteria and fungi) for rapid growth.

 

A compost pile can be built on open ground or in a bin made of rough boards or stakes and small-mesh wire fencing. Snow fencing works just fine. The sides of the bin should not be tight, because oxygen is essential for the material to decompose.

 

Composting materials should also be layered, and for maximum efficiency, the pile should be 3 to 4 feet wide. To start a pile, spread part of your plant refuse out in a layer 6 to 8 inches deep. The pile should be large enough for at least four to five layers to be made from the material available. To speed up the process, (since green plant material gets scarce as we move further into fall high) nitrogen fertilizer of some readily available formula (10-10-10, for example) can be spread on each layer at the rate of about ¼ pound or ½ cupful to each 15-20 square feet. If an organic source of nitrogen is desired, commercially available fertilizers such as dried blood (13% nitrogen), cottonseed meal (6% nitrogen), alfalfa hay (2.5% nitrogen), or poultry manure (1% nitrogen) can be used. If alkaline compost is desired, ground limestone or wood ashes can be spread on the pile at the same rate, although this is usually not necessary. Sprinkling a few shovelfuls of garden soil over each layer will ensure the presence of decay organisms. With garden soil to provide beneficial microorganisms there is no need to purchase microbial compost starters. It is advantageous to build your pile with a flat top that slants towards the center to catch rainfall. Repeat the layers until you run out of material or until the compost is about five feet high.

 

Check your compost every so often to make sure it’s moist. Next spring, the pile should be turned to bring the outside material to the inside of the pile. As you turn it, water the pile if it seems dry. On the other hand, a compost pile should not be too wet. Excessive moisture excludes air, so that beneficial aerobic microorganisms die. Anaerobic microorganisms take over, and your compost pile begins to smell bad. At the first whiff of ammonia or other unpleasant odors, turn the pile. A productive, well-made compost pile does not smell bad.

 

Because it’s colder outside, a fall-built compost pile decomposes more slowly than a spring-built one. It should, however, be ready for use next summer or fall. If you turn the pile once a month during warm weather the compost will be ready sooner. Do not turn the pile during cool weather as this allows too much heat to escape, slowing down the decomposition process.

 

Compost is ready to use when the individual constituents have lost their identity and become a dark crumbly mass. Unless you’ve added a lot of fertilizer it will be low in fertilizer value. But as a soil improvement it’s hard to beat!

 

For more information call the UNH Cooperative Extension’s Family, Home & Garden Education Center ’s Info-Line toll free at 1-877-398-4769 for “Practical Solutions to Everyday Questions.” Trained volunteers are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 2:00pm .

 

By George Malette, Master Gardener, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Hillsborough County