Backyard alchemy
Late fall is the perfect time to start a compost or expand an existing one. As nature enters a slower period, gardeners find a sudden bounty of materials including leaves, jack-o-lanterns and retired annual flowers and food crops. Food scraps and plant clippings are an essential addition year round.
Making your own compost provides one of the best tools to loosen our region's clay soils. It also cuts gardening costs, trash bills and landfill demand. Food waste alone represents almost 7 percent of municipal waste nationally according to the EPA. Operational regulations prevent local green waste from accepting leftovers and other "post-consumer" food matter, so recycling these au naturale at home is especially beneficial.
Recipe for Success
The Jackson County Master Gardeners Association Garden Guide offers tips for easy composting, starting with balancing materials rich in carbon and nitrogen. Carbon is high in "brown" matter — old leaves, hay, straw and the like. "Green" additions like grass, plant clippings, manure and food scraps offer more nitrogen. To ensure a good mix, make alternate layers of carbon and nitrogen matter. Turn every 2 to 4 weeks to speed the process and keep the carbon-nitrogen blend even.
Compost should remain moist but not saturated. In should be watered lightly in the summer and covered when fall and winter rains settle in. Materials decompose more quickly when kept warm. Adding manure is especially helpful through the cold months. Aeration and drainage are essential in facilitating nature's recycling operations.
Something for Everyone
Composting is possible from an apartment patio to a large yard thanks to a wide range of homemade and pre-made options. Ashland Sanitary and Recycling's Depot (on Water Street) has a demonstration area with several types of bins for inspiration, some of which are pictured here.
The simplest, cheapest system is a pile in the back yard. Raccoons are likely to dig in, reducing the returns and creating a small mess. Setting up a simple bin helps contain things and keep out wildlife. Wooden pallets and chicken wire make an economical solution. Local garden stores offer simple bins that serve the same purpose.
To make it easier to turn compost, one side of the container should be fully removable. Do-it-yourselfers can build a bin with slats, chicken wire or another detachable material on one side. Pre-made versions can be purchased locally. Fancier tumblers are available at a higher cost.
As one batch ages, setting up a second area for new materials will provide the most even end results with an ongoing supply. The Ashland Recycling Center has a terrific three-bin system on display as an example. Any system can be scaled up in this way.
For those with smaller spaces, a worm bin is a great alternative. These typically have 2 to 3 stackable trays with holes in the bottom, which sit on top of a solid bin. Worms — red wrigglers being the species of choice- start out in the lower tray with bedding (shredded paper) and food scraps. As they eat their way through they daily offerings, they convert them to rich worm castings and then move up to the next tray. Liquid — called compost tea — collects in the bottom bin. Finished castings and compost tea are nutrient dense treats for plants. Worm bins are an excellent hands-on, living lesson in science and ecology for all ages.
Those who are unable to compost could surely find a neighbor or local farm that would be happy to put their food and plant waste to good use.
Getting Started
Local residents can take advantage of numerous workshops and programs to learn the finer points of composting. Ashland Sanitary and the Ashland Conservation Commission sponsor composting classes in the spring and fall, offering a free bin to each participant. Electric Director Dick Wandersheid, who is also staff liaison to the Conservation Commission estimates that 1,000 residents have started composting since the program began about 10 years ago. Ashland Parks and Recreation and the Jackson Country Master Gardeners offer similar educational programs on an ongoing basis. Friends and neighbors are also a great resource. If you see a pile or bin the next time you stop by, ask them to share their secrets for the perfect backyard brew.
