Fall Composting

With the Fall season well underway many people are setting aside their weekends to clean up their gardens and prepare their home for cooler weather. When you are cleaning up your garden it may be tempting to throw debris into the compost. But before you toss those daylilys into the pile there are a few things that you should know.

Composting plants that have diseases such as mildew or fungus can ruin your compost pile. You need to make sure that you don’t throw any diseased or infected plants into your pile. This includes infected vegetables such as tomatoes and squash.  The exception to this rule is when your compost pile is above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature most weeds and pathogens will be killed. However, you always want to air on the side of caution when it comes to adding tired looking plant material to your compost pile.

One option for Fall composting is to create a leaves only compost pile. Leaf compost can be great for your vegetable garden. Before placing your leaves in your compost pile you can go over them with the lawnmower to cut them up. Once and a while it is a good idea to add a small batch of shredded twigs and wood scrapings to your leaf composting pile. Follow these DIY Fall composting tips for a happy and healthy garden in the Spring!

Contact Designscapes Colorado for more information at info@designscapes.org.