Every little bit of extra effort makes a difference in landscaping. Going the extra mile with that additional service, next inspection, or added enhancement can take your property from good to great. Oftentimes this extra effort can be what makes your lawn look lush, and your flowers bright. One such way to put in that extra effort for maximum benefit is composting. This is the gathering of excess organic material in your landscape to be used as a nutrient source for your plants and soil. Although this may feel beneath your luxury landscape, compost can be a rich location for nutrients, and has many benefits. Here are those benefits, and why they justify the effort required to compost.
What is Composting?
Although we gave a brief description of composting in the introduction, you might need some more specifics. Most commonly homeowners create “compost piles” where they gather any excess organic material. This could be food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, or plant waste. As these items decompose they leave behind rich nutrients and diverse microorganisms that can feed your plant material, both flower, and turf. It is an extremely sustainable use of organic material and recycles nutrients back into your soil.
Reduces Need for Fertilizer
While fertilizer and fertilization itself is a necessary component of any effective lawn care program, it should never be the only way your soil receives nutrients. Soil diversity is important, and having a diverse pool of nutrients is the only way to achieve this. If a lawn fertilizer composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is one source, then a pile of decomposing organic material is a great secondary source. Plus, it is more cost-effective than fertilization.
Cost Effectiveness
Compared to other ways you can get nutrients into your soil, composting has to be the most cost-effective. This is because the list of things you can safely and effectively put into your compost pile is exhaustive. You just need two categories of material, “browns” and “greens.” Some examples of these items include food, eggshells, coffee grounds, shredded newspaper, shredded cardboard, clippings, wood chips, and even ashes. All of these come together to provide carbon and nitrogen, and all you need is some water to top it off. These items can surely be found around your property, with no investment required.
Landscape Sustainability
With recent discussions surrounding the climate and environment, sustainable landscaping practices have become increasingly prevalent. This means conserving resources, and recycling them when possible. Composting is the peak of sustainability, using all of these would be trash items to give your soil a big boost of nutrients. Rather than throw these items away, they can decompose within your landscape. Lowering your carbon footprint and reducing methane emissions, composting is beneficial to your landscape, and the environment.
Dream Greener Lawn & Landscape is led by a staff of service experts, each with ten years or more of professional experience, focused exclusively on lawn care & maintenance, landscaping, and snow & ice management. Locally owned and operated, we are proud to serve the greater Pittsburgh area. Visit our website or give us a call today at (412) 835-1035.
