Spring Means Landscaping And Yard Waste Removal

If you have any kind of yard at all, spring is typically a great time to improve your landscaping. And that means yard waste removal.

The typical approach to getting rid of yard waste is to simply rake it up, put it into the green waste barrel till it's full, and then - if need be - repeat the process a week later when the bin is empty. But what many don't realize is that "waste" and yard debris is actually organic material is that beneficial for your lawn.

Organic Debris Can Nourish Your Outdoor Space

We like to refer to it as "yard waste" but is it really?

The fact is that all the organic matter from your lawn and landscaping - including leaves, grass clippings and shrub and tree trimmings - can be "recycled" and reused. In fact, reusing the organic material that is produced in your own yard can help minimize or even eliminate the need for chemical-based fertilizers. And that's a good thing since these products are a source of toxic runoff in many suburban settings.

But, wait! It's not as simple as never raking your lawn again.

There is a method to the effective reuse of organic matter from your outdoor areas. And, done properly, it can essentially feed your lawn and landscaping plants for you.

Some of the main ingredients plants need to survive and thrive aside from water are nutrients. For most all plants this means nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Along with these, most grasses and other plants also require calcium, magnesium, and sulfur in smaller quanitities.

The good news is that instead of using store-bought chemical or even organic-based fertilizers, it may be possible to reuse what you already have to feed your grass and plants.

One article explains that,

"Grass clippings can be used in garden beds and as a mulch for vegetable gardens. Like many other biodegradable mulch materials, grass clippings help your garden to retain moisture, block out weeds and add nutrient to the soil."

Mulching and composting are becoming quite popular among homeowners and others, especially by recycling their yard trimmings and other organic debris. While creating your own mulch and compost is nothing new, it is certainly being "rediscovered" by many suburban homeowners and renters.

What they are finding is that it is indeed a beneficial practice for their lawns and landscaping.

And Bob Vila agrees,

"Treating your trees, garden, and landscaping beds to mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and arm plants against extreme temperatures—plus, it makes these features look fresh and well groomed. Organic mulch has the added benefit of encouraging helpful garden organisms like earthworms and returning nutrients to the soil as it decomposes."

So, what else can go into the "yard waste" material for the purposes of composting?

It's been estimated that household food waste and yard waste make up about 20 to 30 percent of the municipal waste stream. And almost all of this ends up in landfills. If Americans could reuse all of their organic waste as compost and mulch, this would make a significant decrease in the volume of waste going into landfills.

What kind of food waste, you ask? According to the University of Georgia,

"Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains, bread, unbleached paper napkins, coffee filters, eggshells, meats and newspaper can be composted. If it can be eaten or grown in a field or garden, it can be composted."

Along with your household food trash and scraps, adding organic material from your yard can be used to help your grass and plants grow. This material includes the dead leaves, twigs, and branches, which is often referred to as "browns" by the serious gardeners and composters.

Most of the other stuff like your grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds  are known as "greens". The good news is that it's all fairly simple and straightforward once you have a process to make it happen.

Tips For Composting and Minimizing Yard Waste

According to information provided on the University of Illinois Extension's website, composting involves four main components:

• organic matter
• moisture
• oxygen
• bacteria

Organic materials used for compost should include a mixture of brown organic material and green organic material. The best ratio is one part green to one part brown material. 

Moisture is important to the composting process. Compost moisture should be like that of a wrung-out sponge. Add water during dry periods or when adding large amounts of brown organic material. If the pile is too wet, turn the pile and mix the materials.

Oxygen helps breakdown plant material by bacteria. To supply oxygen, turn the compost pile so that materials at the edges are brought to the center of the pile. This is important for complete composting and for controlling odor. Wait at least two weeks before turning the pile, to allow the center of the pile to decompose. Frequent turning will help speed the composting process.

Providing organic materials, water, and oxygen, will allow the already present bacteria to break down the plant material into compost. As the bacteria decomposes the material, it releases heat, which is concentrated in the center of the pile.

Call in an Expert Team for Yard Debris Removal

Sometimes, your yard waste can be more than you can handle.

You may have had some recent storms that left huge tree branches strewn across your yard. Or maybe you're planning a gardening or landscaping project that’s going to leave a lot of dirt and debris everywhere.

And maybe you have other debris that's not organic like a bunch of junk and clutter in your yard that you haven’t had time to clean up?

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly yard waste removal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of your yard debris. Our experienced debris removal team will break down and haul off any types of yard waste you have. Unlike the backseat of your car, our junk removal trucks are made to handle those dirty yard debris items.

Ready to get rid of your yard waste? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3. You make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).

Our professional and insured yard waste removal team will show up at your home or office; we call 15 minutes before we arrive on site and we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your junk takes up in our truck. You point and we haul the debris into our junk removal trucks, with no hidden fees.