Every fall I mourn the buckets, barrels and bags put out for trash collection. Why? Because in those containers is black gold. No, my neighbors haven't struck oil. Still, the yard waste they dispose of yearly is more valuable than they know.
Yard waste such as leaves and grass clippings make excellent compost. Of course you knew that. Most people do. The problem is some people throw it away, despite their knowledge. In the spring they spend time and money buying fertilizer. They could have made their own for free. It's not as hard as it seems.
For those who haven't the time, there are other ways to use those leaves as fertilizer:
- Leave them on the lawn. Repeated mowing will break them down. Winter snow will hasten the process. When spring comes, your lawn is covered in nutrient rich matter. Just rake, aerate and water to bring it to the roots.
- Till them into your garden soil. You can do this whether you have raised beds or a conventional garden. Next year you won't have to buy expensive soil amendments for the garden.
- Keep plants warm and moist. Using leaves as a protective mulch helps perennials winter better. Denver gardeners spend good money on mulches each year. Why buy mulch in the spring? It's free and plentiful in the fall.
Yard waste makes more than just good compost. What about all those branches trimmed from gnarly trees. Renting a chipper/ shredder is less expensive than renewing your border mulch, isn't it? Chips from trimmed branches make excellent garden walkways.
Grass clippings are nutrient rich. Sometimes Denver gardeners are just too neat and tidy. Empty that mower bag right into the compost pile. Better yet, leave the bag off. Let clippings spread naturally over the lawn as an all natural fertilizer.
Fall yard clean-up yields useable items. So you don't want that patio set anymore? Don't trash it. Offer it for free on Craigslist or Freecycle. If it's in decent shape, sell it. Either you'll make a few bucks yourself, or save someone else an expense. Either way, lawn and garden waste recovery saves money, time and energy.
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