The unofficial end of Summer is past and we now head into fall; aptly named for the fall of the leaves. Most long term residents are aware of Lawrence Township’s brush and yard waste collection program. Not every knows that these materials are turned into compost and wood chips at the Township Ecological Facility, located at 3701 Princeton Pike.
While this is a great way for many residents to recycle their yard waste, others may choose to do their own composting. Today’s article covers some of the composting options along with helpful information.
Before going through the various methods, it is worth listing some of the benefits of composting. The most commonly sited benefits of compost include: it enriches poor soils, it diverts vegetative waste from landfills, and it reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. The EPA also lists additional uses for compost such as: remediating contaminated soils, facilitating reforestation, suppressing plant diseases and pests, and increasing crop yields (www.epa.gov/compost).
While having a township program that does all the work is great, some residents may choose to do their own composting, whether it is to recycle their food scraps, control the nutrient mix of the compost, or simply self-compost just for the challenge. There are four basic types of composting for individuals: grasscycling, backyard composting, worm composting and indoor bins. Grasscycling simply refers to the practice of leaving grass clippings on the lawn as it is mowed. The EPA estimates that over 56 percent of grass clippings are composted or grasscycled. Clippings break down most quickly when no more than Ð of the grass length is cut and the grass is dry to the touch. Mulching blades may help, but just make sure the blade is sharp.
Backyard composting generically refers to any number of methods of combining organic materials with air and water to produce compost. Although there are many sources of information on the Internet, one of the closest to home is the Master Gardeners of Mercer County site (www.mgofmc.org). It is important to include the right ingredients (vegetable and fruit scraps, flowers, grass, coffee, twigs, sawdust, leaves, etc.) as well as keeping out dangerous items (greasy or oily foods, infected plants, meat scraps or bones, weed seeds, dog or cat feces). Check their monthly eco-tips on composting to learn about the right ways to moisten and aerate the pile, as well as common troubleshooting tips.
Worm composting, or vermiculture, is a way to produce an alternative fertilizer comprised of worm castings. The best type of worms for vermiculture is red worms, which can eat up to half their weight in organic waste each day. The worms digest the same ingredients as those for backyard composting. Sites like the EPA (www.epa.gov/compost) and Earthworm Digest (www.wormdigest.org) can provide invaluable information in setting up a worm farm.
There are several types of indoor composting bins available on the market. Most depend on fermenting food under warm and ideal composting conditions, often using purchased bacteria and continuous heating. The advantages of indoor composting are ease of access, small containers and the ability to compost things like meat scraps and dairy products. These are great for people in apartments with house plants, but look for reviews of the models you are considering since there are a lot of opinionated blogs available online.
In summary, probably the easiest way to compost is participate in the town’s yard waste collection program. To recycle your food scraps, or if you have little to no yard, you may want to consider an indoor composting box. Those with enough available yard space may try their luck at vermiculture or simple backyard composting. Whatever method you choose, you will be producing a valuable soil fertilizer and saving waste from going to a landfill.
For links to the original article, and for more information on how you can save money and the planet at the same time, go to http://sustainablelawrence.org.

