How to Create a Simple Compost Pile for Backyard Leaves

It is straightforward to compost the leaves in your backyard. One of the golden rules of composting is that you need to have 25-30 parts of carbon to 1 part nitrogen for proper decomposition to occur. Too much carbon and decay will be slow and undependable. Too much nitrogen produces problems with unwanted smells.

Dried leaf fall is almost 100 percent carbon. Therefore, to make quality compost from fallen leaves covering your lawn, you need to add one part of high-nitrogen materials for every 25-30 parts of leaves. High nitrogen materials that are easy to find around the house include green grass clippings, fresh kitchen waste, coffee grounds, and fresh manure from your pets.

Making a compost pile from your leaves and high nitrogen materials can be as simple as layering leaves and kitchen scraps into a mound in the back corner of your yard. If you want a bit more order, you can build a bin from recycled wood pallets to stack your leaves and nitrogen materials. Once you have raked your leaves into a pile, layer the carbon and nitrogen materials, add water and let sit. After a month or so, you might want to flip the pile with a shovel to encourage decomposition. By next spring, you should have rich and dark soil that is teeming with beneficial microorganisms and nutrients that you can spread over your lawn or garden.

If the process of composting all those leaves seems unfeasible, you can also invest in an inexpensive leaf shredder such as this one offered by Flowtron for under $170. This one-time investment will allow you to quickly make a nutrient-rich mulch that you can place around your landscaping trees and flower beds. Over the long run, you will most likely save money by reducing the amount you spend purchasing mulch from your local landscaping company.

How to Find Composting Centers for Yard Waste

If you do not have space in your yard for a compost pile, composting centers will pick up your leaves. Several cities and towns across the country have free or reduced-price composting programs that will pick up yard waste, kitchen scraps, and other recyclable materials. Call your local municipal waste provider to ask if they offer this service.

Alternatively, urban farmers and homesteaders will often be looking for a reliable source of organic material. Ask folks at your local farmers' market if they know of a farmer who would be willing to pick up your autumn leaves. The U.S. Composting Council also offers an interactive composting map that will allow you to search for a composting center near you.

Through composting, mulching, or sending your leaves to a composting center, you can deal with your autumn yard waste in a sustainable and healthy way.