Leaf It for Compost

Instead of bagging up all those pretty fall leaves and stacking them out at the curb, turn them into compost, and save energy and landfill space.

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Photo: Peter McKinnon / istock

By Brian Clark Howard

Instead of bagging up all those pretty fall leaves and stacking them out at the curb, turn them into compost, and save energy and landfill space.

Yard waste is the second-largest component of our trash stream (behind paper), according to the EPA, and makes up roughly 20 percent of most communities' haul. Plus, trucking all those bulky bags from homes to the dump requires a lot of fuel, not to mention heaving and sweating by waste collectors.

The kicker is that the leaves of one large shade tree can be worth as much as $50 of plant food and humus, according to CompostGuide.com. Dead leaves are rich in minerals that can help your garden and landscaping grow.

To get the best results in your compost bin, shred leaves up. Layer with other types of materials, especially manure, green weeds or grass clippings, or add a nitrogen supplement like cottonseed meal, bone meal or dried blood. Keep the pile moist and turn it over frequently.

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