57 Ways - 32. Use Yard Waste As Mulch

Publications Plus online catalog

57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

32. Use Yard Waste As Mulch
	Green waste, such as tree limbs, leaves, and grass, are not a problem in the forest. Dead organic material is all just part of a larger nutrient cycle. Homeowners might do well to take the same long view as Mother Nature by putting yard waste to good use as mulch around trees, shrubs, and other plantings. Mulch benefits your landscape by conserving soil moisture; maintaining uniform soil temperature; minimizing soil erosion and compaction; reducing weed problems; giving a neater, more finished appearance to the flowerbed, garden or other planting; and altering the soil structure to increase root growth.
	Apply mulch about 4 inches deep (no deeper than 6 inches), and keep it at least 6 inches away from tree trunks. With established plants in the garden, apply mulch in mid-spring, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently for active root growth. This will keep the ground cool and delay root development.
	With newly planted material, apply mulch after the plants are set in place and watered well. If you plant in the late summer or early fall, apply the mulch immediately after watering the plants so that soil will be kept warm during the cool nights. Keep organic mulches wet when applying them to the soil.
	Organic mulches have little effect on the nutrient level in the soil and should not be considered a substitute for fertilizer. In fact, quickly decaying mulches—fresh leaves, wood chips, and straw—can remove a considerable amount of nitrogen from the soil.
	If organic mulches are kept too wet, then fungi, bacteria, and molds can develop. Also, insects and rodents can overwinter in some organic mulches. And although sphagnum peat usually lowers the pH, most other organic mulches are slightly alkaline (pH above 7.0).
	Several types of yard waste can make good mulch, with compost rating as one of the best. Leaves make a better mulch if they are composted, and grass clippings are best when used dry. If you apply fresh clippings, spread them loosely; otherwise, they will mat down, produce heat during composition, and give off an offensive odor.
	If you need to dispose of branches and other woody material, one option is to rent a wood chipper. Wood chips are very durable and make an excellent material for covering paths and walkways. If used on landscape beds, periodically apply fertilizer to prevent nitrogen deficiencies.