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Mulching & Composting Tips

The Earth-Friendly Way To Mow Your Lawn

If you still mow your lawn in the traditional way, you probably face the same problem over and over again: grass clippings.

Disposing of clippings through curbside pickup burdens our landfills. In fact, many communities now refuse to collect yard wastes.

You may not know it, but keeping grass clippings on the lawn can actually make a lawn healthier by returning vital nitrogen to the soil, effectively enriching your lawn every time you mow.

So, what do you do? First, mow more often. A side discharge mower keeps clippings to a minimum and spreads them evenly over your lawn, so you won't need to rake.

If you use a bagging attachment, you can transfer clippings to a compost pile that will provide you with natural, organically-enriched earth for feeding vegetables and plants later on.

Besides mowing, you could try mulching. Mulching mowers and mulching blade attachments put grass clippings to work for you. By cutting and then recutting grass, a mulching blade produces fine particles that can barely be seen. These small particles decompose quickly, returning nutrients to your lawn.

So, as you can see, any type of mower can help you to recycle grass clippings.

And remember, a well-landscaped lawn shows you take pride in your home, while enhancing its value. And, it shows you are "EarthWise".

Composting. A Recycling Center In Your Back Yard

Normally, recycling works like this: after separating your glass, plastic, etc., it goes to your nearest recycling center. You don't see it again until it possibly comes back to you through purchasing recycled products. Yard recycling works a little differently, though. Here, you are the manager of your very own recycling center. Fortunately, that's not as difficult as it sounds, and your yard benefits from the enriched earth that you've created from yard waste. You may not know it, but leaves contain twice as many minerals as manure. Twigs and branches can be broken down into chips that retain moisture to keep plants healthier.

And, with the right plan and the right combination of environmentally helpful outdoor power equipment -- such as cleaner running lawnmowers and mulching mowers for grass clippings and chipper/shredders for branches, twigs and leaves -- you can substantially reduce the amount of waste your yard produces. And the waste that remains can be recycled through the use of a compost pile.

Creating a compost pile is simple. Choose a corner of your back yard approximately three feet by three feet. Section it off from the rest of the yard with garden fencing or chicken wire. Then place yard wastes and other organic materials (banana peels, coffee grounds, similar household wastes) onto the pile.

Since leaves take a little longer to break down, you can grind or shred them by running a rotary mower back and forth over them, then rake them into the pile. Or, if you use a mower with a bagging attachment, simply collect chopped clippings and leaves in the bag and spread on a compost pile.

Nature does most of the work from here. These materials will decompose and become useful as hard-working humus and enriched earth. However, as your pile grows larger, you must give nature some help by turning the pile so that air can reach all levels. This helps the decomposition process.

When your compost is ready, blend it into the soil of your garden or flowerbed with the help of a power garden tiller. You'll increase fertility in the soil and boost growth.

Composting gives you a constantly renewable source of rich soil, while giving our Earth a break. And, composting shows that you are doing your part to be "EarthWise".

Reduce, Reuse In Your Yard Too

Reduce, reuse, recycle. These are some of the buzzwords of the environmental movement. And if you've gotten into the habit of recycling plastic, glass and newspapers at your home, don't forget to recycle when you're outside, too.

Here are helpful tips on how to keep yard waste in your yard and out of our over-burdened landfills.

"Keeping grass clippings on the lawn can actually make a lawn healthier by returning vital nitrogen to the soil, effectively fertilizing your lawn every time you mow," says Cyane Gresham, Horticulture Compost Specialist at the Rodale Institute Experimental Farm in Kutztown, PA.

A side discharge mower, used frequently, can broadcast smaller clippings throughout a lawn. If you use a bagging attachment, you can collect grass clippings for use in a compost pile, instead of taking clippings curbside.

Mulching mowers and mulching blade attachments are also available to reduce large amounts of clippings into fine particles that can effectively enrich the soil organically.

But what about the bigger stuff? That stuff you pick up so you can actually get to mowing? Twigs, branches, leaves. These contribute to yard waste problems, too.

First, reduce. With the help of a chipper/shredder, any yard waste is substantially reduced. Even large branches are cut down to a manageable size.

Reuse. Leaves create mulch, which decomposes into hardworking humus. Wood chips can be used as decorative filler around shrubs, gardens and flowerbeds to help retain moisture.

Recycle. Leftover yard wastes can be transformed to enriched earth in a compost pile, where they break down into nutrient-rich compost for use in future gardening projects.

The right plan, along with the right combination of today's helpful outdoor power equipment, such as a waste reducing chipper/shredder and a mulching mower, will keep your home looking beautiful while enhancing its value. So recycle in your yard, and show that you are "EarthWise."

How to Make the Air Cleaner While Keeping Your Lawn Greener.
Developing a regular maintenance schedule is the first step in helping to keep our air a little cleaner.

Air pollution comes from many sources. One of the smallest is exhaust and fuel emissions from gasoline powered engines -- the kind used in lawnmowers, riding tractors, string trimmers, tillers, and other types of outdoor power equipment. Another contributor is fuel spillage and evaporation.

Today the industry is doing its part to reduce air pollution by manufacturing new generations of outdoor power equipment that operate with low-emission engines and cordless electric power.

You too can do your part by being "EarthWise" when using outdoor power equipment. Not only can you perform earth-friendly lawn and garden tasks like mulching and composting to nourish and beautify your lawn, but you can help to reduce air polluting emissions by handling fuel properly and keeping your equipment in good working order.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, here are some easy steps you can take to keep your power equipment more air-friendly. (Always check your operator's manual for specific recommendations on maintenance.) Otherwise, you may want to seek help from your local outdoor power equipment service shop.

• Change your equipment's oil seasonally and be sure to recycle the old oil.
• Replace the spark plug and air filter seasonally, and check for proper carburetor adjustment ... a properly tuned engine helps burn fuel more efficiently, thereby reducing emissions.
• Be sure to use replacement parts recommended by the manufacturer.
• Avoid gasoline spillage when you're refilling the tank. Also, keep fuel tanks and containers sealed tight, leaving room (approx. 3/4 full) for expansion.
• Tighten loose nuts, bolts and belts so that your mower runs a little quieter, too.
• For mowers, sharpen cutting blades and keep decks cleared of all grass clippings to further enhance performance.
• Replace old, worn out equipment with the latest models offering low-emission engines that run 70% cleaner than 1990 models. Electric or rechargeable battery power is also available.

Developing a regular maintenance schedule is a responsible first step in helping to keep our air a little cleaner while using outdoor power equipment to beautify your yard.