WCID 132
NHCRWA |
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 In
Southeast Texas, when those
first crisp Autumn breezes send
yellow elm and crunchy brown oak
leaves swirling on driveways,
and squirrels chase each other
through the trees, many breathe
a sigh of relief that the dog
days of summer might actually be
behind them. The days are
shorter, the shadows longer. It
is the favorite time of year for
many Houstonians, who are eager
to participate in outdoor
activities.
With the grass
growing season coming to an end,
there’s still lots to do in the
yard and garden to get it ready
for Spring. One of the most
productive of these activities
is to start a composting
program...take advantage of all
those leaves and pine straw and
“cook up” a batch of mulch that
will give your flower beds and
landscape areas a real boost. It
isn’t difficult and the payoff
can be spectacular.
Not only is it
great for your lawn and garden,
composting helps with one of the
nation’s most critical
environmental problems. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
estimates that grass clippings,
leaves, and tree or shrub
prunings account for almost 20
percent of “household trash” and
perhaps as much as 50 percent in
Summer and Fall months. Landfill
sites are rapidly filling up,
and an increasing number of
people across the country have
made the commitment to recycle
just about everything...
aluminum, paper, plastic,
household scraps, and yard
debris.
In addition to
helping with the landfill
crisis, composting offers
another, very practical benefit.
When rich compost mulch is used
in flower beds and landscape
areas, it holds in the moisture
and cuts down on the amount of
water needed to keep the plants
healthy. Compost also breaks up
clay soils, serving as a
safeguard against erosion. And
it adds structure and moisture
to sandy soils, which can allow
landscaping of otherwise
undesirable planting areas.
Compost improves
soil aeration, which enables
vital oxygen to boost soil
productivity. Finally, virtually
all plants grown in
compost-enriched soils are
healthier and are better
prepared to fight off assaults
from insects and diseases. So,
with all these benefits and with
the cost of water going up,
composting can save both water
and money!
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“Every year more
than five million
tons of yard
trimmings and other
organic materials
end up in Texas
landfills instead of
building up the
soil. Disposing of
all this organic
matter in landfills
costs more than $150
million a year!” |
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“Millions of gallons
of city-treated
water are used to
irrigate landscapes
where native
vegetation once grew
in naturally mulched
soil, sustained by
rainfall.”
“To compensate for
the loss of
nutrients,
homeowners purchase
costly synthetic
fertilizers and
pesticides for their
lawns. Runoff of
these chemicals can
pollute both ground
and surface water
supplies.”
Texas Water
Development Board |
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