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by Carol Brinkman, HCMG |
MASTER OF MULCH
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Compost and mulch are
two terms familiar to
all gardeners, but a
great deal of confusion
is created when these
terms are used
interchangeably. Compost
is decayed organic
matter used to amend and
enrich the soil to
create a healthier
environment for plants,
which in turn makes
healthier plants. Mulch
is a top-dressing for
soil. It protects plants
from extreme
temperatures; it reduces
evaporation of moisture;
and it inhibits the
growth of weeds. |
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Both composting and
mulching are key to
successful gardening,
and no one knows this
better than HCMG Carolyn
Nall. Carolyn also knows
that producing your own
compost and mulch is
better for the
environment and easier
on the bank account. |
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Nall says she has “a
small house on a lot and
a half.” Approximately
1200 SF is turf grass,
and all the rest is
gardens, beds, and
pathways. “I went on the
garden tour offered by
the Travis County Master
Gardeners, and I noticed
that almost all the beds
and paths were mulched
with shredded leaves.”
Inspired by what she
saw, Carolyn has
developed a system for
producing both mulch and
compost that is worthy
of imitation for several
reasons. |
“I started collecting
leaves in the fall of
2007 intending to use
them to add to my
compost pile. Now,
 most
of my shredded leaves
are used for mulch. That
first year I collected
200 bags and used them
all by August. In the
fall of 2008, I
collected 300 bags. Most
of the leaves were
collected right in my
neighborhood, and I got
to meet many of my
neighbors for the first
time. The first year,
after I picked up his
first batch, one of my
neighbors shredded and
delivered the rest of
his leaves to me. The
second year, another
neighbor delivered the
rest of his leaves to
me. Then another
neighbor came out when I
stopped to pick up his
leaves, and commented
that he thought I was
not coming this year
because I was running
late. Another neighbor
put out a sign saying,
“Please pick up the
leaves.” This was the
fun part,” says Carolyn. |
The bagged leaves are
stored on wooden pallets
lining the back fence
line after the leaves
are shredded using a
relatively inexpensive,
lightweight leaf
shredder. The
shredder comes equipped
with both long and short
legs. The short legs can
be placed directly on a
trash can lined with a
bag. The long legs let
the grass drop onto a
tarp from which the
grass can be scooped up
with a dust pan and
placed in a bag or any
container that can be
carried easily to the
area to be mulched or to
the compost pile if
needed.
Nall lines the garbage can
with bags
saved after collecting
the neighbors’ leaves.
She cautions that if the
bags are filled too
much, “Either I can't
get it out of the can or
the bag tears. It is
also about as much as I
can carry comfortably,
and the bags stack
better if they are not
overly full. It doesn’t
hurt for the bagged
leaves to sit for a
while,
both before and after
shredding,
if I have other
priorities.” Another
piece of advice is to
check carefully for any
unwanted ingredient that
might be included in the
scavenged bags of
leaves. “And, especially
don’t forget to wear a
dust mask, goggles, and
ear plugs,” she adds.
Proudly, Carolyn says, “I
harvested my first
compost this year. I got
about one square yard,
and it was beautiful.
When I was spreading it
in the front yard, one
of my neighbors asked if
I was spreading
my dirt
(meaning dirt I had made
or dirt I had purchased).
I can hardly wait for
the next batch.”
See another Master
Gardener's approach to
composting |
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Photos by M Pease |
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