Summer has arrived! And along with the birds, bees, and green leaves comes something else too: Yard waste.
If you like to garden, you know how quickly yard waste can accumulate once you begin mowing, pruning, weeding, and transplanting. Even a small yard can produce a lot of grass clippings and branch trimmings over the course of the growing season!
Yes, we know that the City of Winnipeg picks up yard waste in those brown paper bags on a regular schedule. But wouldn’t it be more satisfying to put it back to use on your own property instead? A large percentage of landfill garbage consists of organic materials. But you have the opportunity to change that by channeling the power of yard waste for good. Let’s take a look at how:
Grasscycling
Grasscycling is a fancy word that means “not cleaning up your grass clippings.” Yes, you heard that right. Leave the bag off your mower and let nature decompose your grass clippings instead.
Why? Because they’ll add nutrients to your soil and produce healthier, happier grass. On average, it only takes 7-14 days for grass clippings to decompose. Just be sure to mow at least once a week (to avoid long clippings), sharpen your mower blades regularly, and break up any large clumps of clippings after each mow.
Mulching
For the uninitiated, mulching is the practise of spreading a layer of organic material (such as wood chips, leaves, or clippings) over your garden beds. Mulching helps to retain moisture, prevents the spread of disease through water splashing, keeps weeds at bay, and promotes healthy soil.
So, yeah, mulch is pretty awesome.
You can easily turn your yard waste into mulch after checking that none of it is diseased or infested with pests. Run branches or logs through a wood chipper and run over dead leaves with your mower. Mix it all together with some clippings, and…voila! Homemade mulch.
Composting
You’ve probably at least heard of composting—the process of breaking down organic waste into fertilizer.
While there are many ways to compost, the main principle is to combine carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich organic matter in the proper ratio, moisten with water, and stir or “turn” it regularly. The result? A perfect organic booster for your yard’s soil.
You can compost all types of healthy yard waste as well as kitchen scraps. For more information on composting in your yard, visit this composting page.
Garden Elements
Pruned twigs and branches can become beautiful trellises for vining plants, decorative edging for a garden bed, or woven fencing around the perimeter of your yard. Twig furniture and sculptures are popular, too.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the possibilities of twig and branch art. So think twice before the next time you send your pruning waste away to the landfill!
Winnipeg Yard Maintenance
Does all this talk of yard waste management get you giddy or groaning? Perhaps you love the ideas but want to pass the task to someone else? If you’re looking for outstanding yard maintenance and lawn care in Winnipeg, look no further than Cleanr Property Maintenance Snow Removal & Lawn Care. Give us a call today!
