Recycle Yard Waste Why Recycle? Yard Waste Define Uses Recycled Mulch Recycled Grass Composting at Home Assembling Pile Materials to Use/Avoid Maintaining Pile Harvesting Pile Earthworm Farming Author: Rebecca McNair Edited by: Allison Steele

Why Recycle? Retains the nutrients in your landscape Saves money on fertilizer, mulch and waste disposal Florida law prohibits disposal of yard waste in lined landfills

The Legal Definition Yard trash is defined by the 1988 Florida Solid Waste Management Act as “vegetative matter resulting from landscape maintenance and land clearing operations.” It includes… Tree and shrub trimmings Leaves and palm fronds Grass Stumps

Florida’s Municipal Waste Stream in 1998 (FDEP Solid Waste Report, 2000) Landfilled 56% Combusted 16% Recycled 28% In 1998, yard waste made up 12% of the municipal waste stream, or 3.5 million tons.

Recycling Solutions Overview: Mulching “Grasscycling” Composting Earthworm farming

Recycled Mulch Choose by-product alternatives such as Melaleuca mulch: Harvested from invasive plant stands Reduces destruction of natural wetland areas in Florida Slow decomposition Suppresses weeds Not eaten by termites

Yard Waste = Mulch= $ Leaves and pine needles can remain under trees for a “self mulching” area Cost of one bag Pine Nuggets = $3.00 Reducing garbage, Priceless!

Utility Mulch Many municipalities offer free utility mulch A by-product of pruning trees near power lines Be aware of variable quality and consistency You may need to partially compost to kill any weeds, seeds, or insect pests

Grasscycling Grass clippings can be left on the lawn Saves money- This is equivalent to about one fertilizer application per year! Saves time Remove only 1/3 of the grass blade Grasscycling does not result in thatch build-up. Thatch is stem and root overgrowth caused by over-fertilization and over-watering.

Composting Disposes of food and yard wastes through natural processes Enhances the soil on your property Releases essential elements to plants

What is Compost? Rich, black, sweet-smelling, crumbly, soil- like substance comprised of decomposed organic matter

Composting at Home Overview: 1) Selecting a Location 2) Choosing a Container 3) Assembling the Pile 4) Maintaining the Pile 5) Harvesting Finished Compost

Level ground Well-drained surface Near a source of water At least 2 feet from any structure Close to source of materials Selecting A Location

Choosing A Container Pile method Bin

Pile Method No container is used; organic materials are simply mounded in a pile A layer of soil, leaves, or finished compost on top of fresh kitchen wastes will help deter pests.

Compost Bins Purchase a compost bin or build your own. Consider: Appearance Size- at least 1 cubic yard Accessibility- to add materials and remove finished compost Ability to mix materials inside Creature access

A bin is not necessary, but useful for deterring pests and keeping the pile neat.

Compost Happens Microorganisms (microbes) initiate decomposition under favorable environmental conditions. They need: Food Oxygen Moisture Temperature

Assembling the Pile For faster decomposition, follow these steps: Put twigs or small branches on the bottom of the pile to allow air to circulate Layer materials, alternating nitrogen and carbon layers End with a carbon layer Add water to moisten, not soak

“Browns” Carbon-rich materials Energy source for microbes Typically low in moisture Degrade slowly Bulky materials help aerate May cause nitrogen deficiencies in plants If insufficient nitrogen is present for microbial breakdown

“Greens” Nitrogen-rich materials Microbes use for protein synthesis and reproduction High moisture content Degrade rapidly Compact easily Can be a source of foul odors

Compostable Materials Nitrogen-Rich Grass clippings Manure Vegetable food scraps Coffee grounds Hair Carbon-Rich Straw Shredded branches Uncolored Paper Pine needles Leaves

C:N Ratios The carbon to nitrogen ratio determines the decomposition rate of organic materials Grass clippings ~ 20:1 Fruit waste ~ 35 :1 Leaves ~ 60 :1 Straw ~ 100 :1 Wood ~ 600 :1 30:1 is ideal, obtained by adding one part browns to one part greens S LOW RAPID

Particle Size Size of particles also affect the rate of decomposition Break twigs and small branches Shred newspaper and palm fronds Grind stumps Coarsely chop larger pieces of vegetable matter

Materials to Avoid Do NOT add: Meat or dairy products Oils or mayonnaise Plants recently treated with pesticides Seed-laden weeds Pressure treated wood Animal products create odor problems and attract pests.

Provide Oxygen Without oxygen (anaerobic conditions), microbes produce foul smelling compounds Alcohols and organic acids that are detrimental to plants Referred to as “sour” Incorporate bulky materials like twigs, pine needles, wood chips and straw to provide air space Turn pile immediately if odor is detected

Provide Moisture Microbes need moisture for their bodies Water pile when needed 45% ~ 65% moisture content “Squeeze test”-Squeeze compost in your hand: moisture should coat your hand, but not drip To lower moisture content: Protect from heavy rains Add dry material and turn pile

Temperature The metabolic activity of microbes will raise the temperature of the compost This kills weed seeds and pathogens A critical mass is needed, ideal pile size is 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft. Microbes can survive a range of temperatures, but an optimal temperature for decomposition is about 125º F Microbial activity starts to decline around 130 º F

Maintaining the Pile Turn pile occasionally Breaks up materials Increases rate of decomposition Exposes weed seeds, insect larvae, and pathogens to lethal temperatures in the core of the pile Add “greens” to the center of the pile Pile “browns on top, or layer with fresh “greens” in the center

Factors Affecting Decomposition Rates: Presence of microorganisms Oxygen Moisture Temperature Type of materials Particle size Size of the pile Frequency of turning Review

Harvest Compost Collect mature compost when it is dark, soil-like, and earthy smelling Screen compost Remove larger pieces and return those to the compost pile

Use Compost Apply to plant beds as a soil amendment Use as mulch Blend with sand, peat, and perlite for a potting media Layer 1”-2” of compost underneath decorative mulch to save money and improve soil fertility.

Vermiculture - Earthworm Farming Red wigglers, Eisenia foetida and brown- nose worms, Lumbricus rubellas recycle thin layers of food scraps and paper Worms eat decaying food and paper Excrete castings, rich in nutrients Temperatures lower than compost pile

Further Reading Fact Sheet AE 23: Construction of Home Compost Units SL 114: Converting Yard Waste into Landscaping Assets Circular 958: Backyard Composting of Yard Waste Circular 455: Earthworm Biology and Production Circular 1053: Culture of Earthworms for Bait or Fish Food

The following presentation was made possible through a grant from FL DEP and EPA. Special thanks to the following reviewers for their valued contributions: FL114 ELM Design Team and the FYN Subcommittee Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, UF Agriculture Education and Communication Department Environmental Horticulture Department Entomology and Nematology Department Soil and Water Sciences Department Florida Cooperative Extension Service in: Alachua, Broward, Clay, Hillsborough, Lake, Miami-Dade, Orange, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Volusia Counties Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence The Center For Wetlands, UF United States Department of Agriculture FL Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences: Division of Plant Industry Thanks for your attention!