Always Room for Recycling Yard Waste

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Whether gardening in a large space, small lot, or even a roof top garden, there is always room for composting.

My friend Ellen recycles her yard waste in small containers on the rooftop of her New York City apartment building. Not only does she create a valuable resource to improve her container plantings, but she also saves time hauling out bags of garden debris and hauling in bags of compost.

For those with a bit more space, consider recycling yard waste right in the garden. Leave grass clippings on the lawn. Use annual weeds that have not gone to flower and seed as mulch around your plants or in the pathways of your gardens.

Set a single bin composter in the middle of the garden. It makes filling and emptying much easier.

Create wattle fences, edging and arbors from tree and shrub trimmings. Or join forces with your neighbors and rent a chipper shredder to convert these wastes into useful mulch.

A bit more information: Speed up the decomposition of kitchen scraps with the help of red worms. These wigglers quickly turn discarded plant based kitchen scraps into worm castings. They are great as a fertilizer for containers, seedlings, and houseplants. For more details on worm composting watch my Melinda’s Garden Moment video on Vermicomposting.

For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com.