Yard Wastes
Grass, leaves, and other wastes from lawns and
backyard gardens account for an estimated 18% of the annual
municipal waste stream. During the summer, grass can comprise up
to 50% of municipal wastes. Leaf waste can account for as much as
60-80% in the fall. This massive, seasonal volume of yard wastes
can use up valuable landfill space. Burning yard wastes at home
causes air pollution from carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
Also, because burning yard wastes can be a
fire hazard as well as a nuisance to neighbors, certain
communities have ordinances in place to prohibit burning.
Backyard Composting
The alternative is composting. Yard waste is composed of materials that,
if left in their natural state, would form humus. Composting is an
accelerated version of the natural decay process. Left to decay
naturally, leaf waste can take approximately two years to form
humus. With human intervention, making compost can take about one
year or as little as 14 days.
You can make a ton of compost at home in an area
only 4' square. If you don't have a backyard, you can make smaller
amounts of compost in plastic garbage bags. Backyard composting
reduces the expense of buying fertilizers for gardens, landscaping
and potted plants. And since many foods can be composted,
including coffee grounds and eggshells, home composting can reduce
food wastes as well as yard wastes.
Please come and visit the Centre County Solid
Waste Authority's Backyard Compost Demonstration Site. We have on
display different types of backyard composters.
If you would like
instructions for building different types of composting bins,
please check out our
Plans for Building a Home Composting Bin.
You may also call our office at 238-7005 for more
information on composting.
Grass Cycling
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The Problems
- Grass clippings and other yard waste account for about
20% of the municipal solid waste deposited in landfills.
- Collection and transportation of this material is
costly.
- Bagging grass clippings removes valuable
soil nutrients
otherwise provided by the decomposed grass blades.
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The Solutions
- Grass cycle! Simply leave the grass clippings on the lawn
after mowing. This reduces the costs and labor involved in
bagging and returns essential nutrients to the soil. Grass clippings
contain quickly decomposing leaf tissue and therefore do not contribute to thatch!
- Control the growth rate (and have a healthier lawn) with
proper fertilizing and watering.
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The Methods
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Mowing Practices
Mow weekly or bi-weekly during peak growing season, removing
no more than a third of leaf tissue. This will allow
clippings to break down rapidly. Although standard mowers do
a fine job, mulching mowers will chop the grass blades into finer pieces for even
quicker breakdown. Lawn mower manufacturers also offer
mulching "kits" to turn your mower into a mulcher.
As anyone who takes care of their yard knows, delayed mowing during rainy periods
causes over-grown turf. Those large clumps of grass, formed after mowing
an over-grown turf,
can be; spread out by re-mowing, removed and composted, or
used as mulch.
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Fertilizing
Grasscycling reduces the need
for supplemental fertilizers. Apply needed fertilizer in
small amounts only two or three times during a growing
season (mid-late May and early-mid September are best). Too
much fertilizer may cause a shallow root system to develop
and weaken the lawn.
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Watering
Water just enough to wet the
entire root system. Too much water will eventually damage
the roots and may cause disease. Frequent but light watering
will also cause a shallow root system.
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