Lawn mowing . . .
Hedge trimming. . . Weeding. . . and Raking. . . These simple chores produce nearly 100 million tons of yard waste each year in the United States. But yard debris does not need to be dumped in landfills or processed at resource recovery facilities. Instead, you can practice the 3 Rs of waste management: - Reduce the amount of lawn and garden waste you create through "grasscycling" - leave grass clippings on your yard.
- Reuse lawn and garden waste by mulching with leaves. Chip woody materials to use an ornamental mulch or to control weeds.
- Recycle lawn and garden waste and vegetable scraps by composting to produce a valuable soil conditioner.
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Guide to Garden Composting
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 October 2006 |
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You can purchase garden compost bins through catalogs and at home improvement stores or through the web. Well designed garden compost bins can save a lot of work and make compost consistant. Composting is a key component to any green garden . 
The ball composter above makes turning the material easy. When you want to mix your compost just roll the ball. |
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Guide to Garden Composting
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 October 2006 |
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Well designed garden compost bins can save a lot of work and make compost consistant. Composting is a key component to any green garden . The simplest compost bin is the wire bin, which can be made of chicken wire or heavier galvanized wire. To make a wire bin, simply measure a section of wire to meet the size of container you want. Wrap the wire around to make a cylinder and fasten with twist ties or cut the wire so that the ends can be attached. If you want to anchor the bin, staple the wire to wood poles or hook the wire onto metal poles made for this type of wire. You can turn your compost by either lifting up the entire bin or unhooking the ends to open up one end of the bin.
 The garbage can bin is also very easy to make and maintain. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 08 October 2006 )
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Guide to Garden Composting
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 October 2006 |
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There are many types of compost bins. Some are as simple as a wire cylinder. Others can be purchased and easily assembled at home. All do the job of decomposing organic material. The purpose of a compost bin is to keep the compostable materials contained so that the wind doesn't blow them away and to speed up the process of decomposition. A pile contains the heat and moisture necessary for the microorganisms that decompose the material. This enhances the composting process. 
Well designed garden compost bins can save a lot of work and make compost consistant. Composting is a key component to any green garden .
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 08 October 2006 )
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Guide to Garden Composting
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 October 2006 |
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Garden composting is a technique used to accelerate the natural decay process. The technique converts organic wastes to a mulch which is used to fertilize and condition soil. Leaf waste decomposes naturally in about two years. Garden composting can take as long as a year or as little as 14 days, depending upon the amount of human control. |
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Guide to Garden Composting
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 08 October 2006 |
Compost is ready to be used when it looks dark and crumbly and none of the starting ingredients are visible. One way to test if your compost is finished is to seal a small sample in a plastic bag for 24 to 48 hours. If no strong odors are released when you open the bag, the compost is done.
Compost can be applied directly around the base of trees and shrubs to serve as a mulch. It also can be worked into the top six to eight inches of the soil to provide increased water retention and valuable nutrients. |
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