Health department encourages composting yard waste
By KATINA TENGESDAL, Staff Writer, ktengesdal@minotdailynews.comFor North Dakotans gearing up for fall cleanup, the State Health Department encourages residents to compost yard waste, support compost programs and use compost to enrich and fertilize soil.
The reasons for composting, according to Steve Tillotson, manager of the solid waste program for the health department, include environmental benefits and convenience.
"Composting may be easier than bagging your leaves, and composted material is really the best fertilizer you could add to your lawn or garden. Composting is a great way to recycle all your fertilizers, and save a lot on gardening and fertilizer cost," Tillotson said.
"People in Minot sometimes need to haul yard waste to a collection site, which is good, but composting is easier in a lot of ways than doing that, too," he added.
The environmental benefits of composting can include reducing your reliance on waste disposal and landfills and cutting down on the manufacture of fertilizer.
"Yard waste, grass and weeds contribute to greenhouse gas if it's deposited in a landfill. Also, by using compost, you're saving on fertilizer manufacture," Tillotson said.
Composting is the breakdown of organic materials by soil bacteria, producing humus or black soil organic matter. To create a successful compost pile, the pile should be made up of green forage that is high in nitrogen such as grass and brown material high in carbon such as dead leaves, straw or newspaper. A proper compost pile won't generate odors. Composting yard waste in the fall or winter will result in material for your lawn or garden the next summer.
"If you start in the fall, it should heat up right away. Sometime the following summer, if you turn it periodically, it should be ready to add to your garden," Tillotson said.
"Before freeze up, turning it once a week or so would be fine. Once it thaws, you might want to turn in some more grass clippings," he added.
Tillotson warned about adding too much grass all at once, as a balance of carbon materials is needed.
"Grass, if left alone, can start to smell. Mixing carbon in it will keep it from smelling," he said.
According to the health department, to compost successfully, leaves and grass should be collected by mowing or raking. The materials should then be placed in layers, adding water to each layer, without making the material soggy. The material should be turned periodically to help add air. Vegetable matter from the kitchen can be composted, but meat or grease should not be placed in the pile.
"I would say, for most people, just give it (composting) a try. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is and what good material you'll get out of it," Tillotson said.
