Fall is the time of year when we are cleaning our landscape and putting our gardens to rest. When we complete these chores, we end up with a lot of waste on the curbside, in a burn pile, or on the way to the landfill. Instead of disposing of leaves, yard trimmings, and kitchen scraps, you can compost them in your backyard. Once the composting process is complete, you can use the finished product to increase the health of your soil and plants.
Materials that can be composted should be broken into two groups: browns and greens. Browns are carbon sources that provide energy to microbes, absorb moisture, and provide structure to your pile. Browns include by-products such as leaves, newspaper, straw, sawdust, cardboard, and small twigs. Greens are nitrogen sources that provide moisture and protein. Greens include grass clippings, vegetables and fruits, manure, coffee grounds, and tea leaves. Do not compost dog or cat feces, diapers, meat, bones, grease, charcoal ash, pine needles, or yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides.
