Why Act?

Garden trimmings, leaves, and grass clippings are “waste” only if you treat them that way! Up to a third of the material you set at the curb for disposal is yard waste that could be composted and turned into yard treasure. Composting, a process that turns your yard waste into choice fertilizer, can be used to enrich the soil in your yard and garden. A compost pile can be as simple and cost-free as the recipe below or as state-of-the-art as a store-bought compost bin. Here’s how to get started recycling your yard waste into a rich, pleasant-smelling, crumbly humus your plants will love!

Action Steps

1. Create a compost pile, build your own compost bin, or purchase one from Arlington County, a store, or catalog.

2. Although there are a lot of ways to compost, here’s one tried-and-true method:
   • Place your pile or bin in an area of your yard that is both shady and sure to receive rain.
   • Chop or shred yard waste before putting it in the pile or bin. For best results, use a combination of green and brown materials (e.g., grass clippings and leaves).
   • Mix materials together with a pitchfork, adding water as needed. A handful of compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge.
   • Mix the pile every 2-3 weeks. If the middle is dry, turn and moisten the materials. If the pile is woody and not decomposing, mix in fresh grass clippings or other green plant trimmings.
   • In six months or so, the compost at the bottom and center of the pile should be ready to use -- as mulch around your yard, as an amendment to garden soil, or combined with sand as a potting mix.

Materials

Yard waste, pitchfork, compost bin

Time

About 1-2 hours for set-up and a few minutes every couple of weeks for care

Resources

You can purchase a compost bin from Arlington County for $10:
www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/
swd/EnvironmentalServicesSwdCompostBin.aspx

There are also many companies that sell compost bins in various shapes and sizes, at a wide range of prices. Search for “compost bin” on the Internet.